Ghosts That We Knew
by suis-je-egoiste
Summary: Starts after 4x14. Circumstances force Bonnie to take drastic measures to ensure the survival of those she loves. But the road to hell is paved with noble intentions. Will Fate intervene or will Bonnie and the Salvatores get a second chance to do things right? Bamon/Defan
1. Prologue

Prologue

Bonnie had just been stabbed by one of the five and watched him cut Jeremy so he could feed Silas. She had thought that that would be the end of it and there would never be a cure for Elena until Elena herself appeared knocking out the hunter and saving Jeremy.

Relief engulfed Bonnie. Everything was going to be okay. Elena would feed her her blood so she could be healed and the cure was finally theirs for the taking. Everything was going to be fine. Yet when Elena bit Jeremy on the neck and force fed him to Silas, Bonnie realized that this was not her best friend. No. This was Katherine.

But how? How could Katherine have possibly known what they were looking for? How could she know that there was a cure? And if she knew, why would she want it?

Her thoughts were swept aside when she heard sickening snap and a heavy thud on the floor and realized that Jeremy had fallen unconscious while Katherine unceremoniously stepped over him and grabbed the small box that contained what they had gone through so much trouble to attain.

As Katherine made her leave, cure in hand, Bonnie laid on the cave floor slowly bleeding to death, her breathe coming in short laboured gasps, her mind reeling trying to process the events that just occurred before her eyes. In her clouded mind she tried to think of something, anything to do but it was useless. She didn't know where any of her friends were or if they were alive, and Silas was growing stronger by the second.

Yet amidst her muddled thoughts and her slowly fading conscience, Bonnie suddenly remembered a spell from Emily's Grimoire. She had debated using this spell in the past when her Grams died but in the end she had lacked the courage-and possibly even strength-to use it.

If Bonnie had not been slowly bleeding to death, if she could muster the strength to reassure herself that her friends were fine, and if she could have believed that Jeremy was still alive, she would have been weary to try such a spell.

As it stood, her options were limited and the lives of the people she cared about were at risk. And Jeremy-

Bonnie stifled a sob as it bubbled to her throat. Jeremy had been so glad to be here with her. He had been so relieved that he would have his sister back as a human. It was completely unfair. She couldn't let Jeremy's life end like this. It would be a waste. Katherine had taken the cure and he would have died for nothing. They had failed.

No. She could not, she _would _not let things end like this.

With newfound determination, Bonnie focused her thoughts, took two deep breathes, and tried to recall the spell. The spell wasn't overtly lengthy and it was simple enough. The spell itself wouldn't be a problem. But as her memories became clearer she realized that the problem would be the ingredients she needed to perform it.

The tears she had withheld earlier, now streamed effortlessly down her cheeks. She couldn't hope to go through with the spell without the essential ingredients. A bout of silent rage overtook her. Bonnie had never felt so powerless. She had always been the strong one, the one who saved the day. The saviour of Mystic Falls.

Even when things seemed impossible she found a way. Hadn't she done exactly that when she realized that Klaus had taken over Alaric's body? Hadn't she found a way with Damon?

Damon.

What would he say if he saw her in this state?

He'd probably disapprove of her wallowing, but he would ignore it and would desperately try to come up with something. But Jeremy. He wouldn't care about Jeremy…would he?

But she didn't need Damon, or anyone to help her. After all Shane had taught her Expression.

_ "With Expression you don't need spells or ingredients…" _

But Bonnie hesitated, remembering her father's fearful gaze as she lost control in the interrogation room with Shane. Could he be right in thinking she no longer had control over Expression but rather it had control over her? Would it be too risky, to dangerous to try such a spell with Expression? Would she be strong enough even with the help of this newfound magic? And if she managed to perform the spell, what consequences would there be? Bonnie suppressed a shudder as she recalled the blood pouring out of April's wound when she had cast a protection spell on Shane after Kol had taken him.

Bonnie glanced slightly to her right were Jeremy's body laid still, cold, and quite possibly dead. No, most certainly dead.

Her attention was drawn to Silas as she heard his sharp intake of breathe, and she knew-risk or not-she had to do it. She had to use Expression.

Her resolve unwavering, Bonnie struggled slightly as she pulled herself into a sitting position, grasped Qetsiyah's necklace tightly in both hands, and began channeling her power.

Her lips parted of their own volition and her chanting began steadily, the tremor of her voice slowly decreasing as it became stronger, louder, confident. She could feel it, the change in the air, the magic seeping through her and around her. But she could also feel her control ebbing away. Terrified, she tried to stop, but found she couldn't.

Suddenly a bright light engulfed the small enclosure where Silas was rapidly awakening. And Bonnie's last thought was of something deep within her telling her the spell had gone terribly wrong before she gave in to despair and unconsciousness.

The cavern became dark once more and the shadows covered Jeremy's body and the tall form of Silas slowly rising from his resting place. And there, where Bonnie had been, was nothing but a pool of dark blood slowly seeping into the cracks of the cavern floor.

* * *

**A/N: This is a collaborative effort between a friend and myself and is just for fun. Feel free to R&R.**

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Stefan Salvatore wasn't incredibly strict about schedules or appointments, but there was one he upheld scrupulously on a daily basis. Every day just after lunch and before his lessons, he would visit the stables, ready his horse, and go for a ride across the Salvatore estate.

Needless to say, the youngest Salvatore found himself somewhat irked that today he would have to go without breakfast only to indulge his one hobby. Giuseppe had informed him that lunch would be withheld until the arrival of their guest, a Miss Katherine Pierce. This would not be a problem had his father not been called away to a Founder's meeting, leaving Stefan to welcome said guest.

And so presuming his afternoon would be preoccupied entertaining this Pierce woman, he had to make do with an early morning ride.

He strode purposefully towards the stables, his mind on other matters, ignoring the path, when suddenly his right foot caught on something and he fell face first onto the meticulously groomed lawn.

Silently praying that no one had witnessed the scene, Stefan spit out a mouthful of grass and was about to dust himself off when a low groan caught his attention.

Turning to the cause of his mishap, he found a young woman peacefully sleeping on the grass. Stefan approached her quietly so as not to disturb her slumber. But upon further observation, he noticed her pallor and the light sheen of sweat on her forehead and realized that the woman wasn't sleeping as he had first thought, but rather was unconscious. Alarmed now at the state of her, Stefan pulled her head onto his lap and proceeded to administer a light slap to both cheeks hoping to garner a response.

"Miss, can you hear me? Miss?!"

Receiving no reaction from the strangely dressed woman, Stefan pondered as to how to proceed. Clearly the woman was in need of medical attention. She seemed to have a fever and would probably not be coming around anytime soon to provide an explanation for her ailments.

But, who was she? Her caramel skin suggested she was a slave but Stefan could see no mark. Was she one of the Lockwood's? Was she an escapee? She didn't look like one. And those strange clothes…he had never seen a slave dressed in such a way, or any woman for that matter.

Deciding the stranger's health should take precedent over his inquiries, Stefan grabbed a hold of her but paused as his fingers brushed against something wet, and sticky. He glanced down at his hand and saw-

"Blood!"

His concern for the stranger ever mounting, Stefan swiftly took hold of the woman and walked as fast as his legs would take him back to the manor.

Ignoring the cries and questions from the servants he passed, Stefan made his way to his brother's room.

"But Master Stefan, that's Master Damon's room-"

"My brother won't be home for at least another day and this woman is injured. She needs medical attention. I need you to send word we need a doctor at the Salvatore estate." Stefan replied, not sparing a glance at the servant as he walked into his brother's room and gently placed the woman on the bed, hoping he hadn't made her wound worse with the movement.

Stefan inspected her once more noticing for the first time her breathes were few and far in between, and her skin! She was deathly pale, even more so then when he had first stumbled upon her. Indeed the woman looked to be on death's doorstep.

Truly frightened for her now, he carefully turned her body to the side and lifted her shirt slightly and gasped. She had been stabbed in her lower back and blood was sluggishly seeping from the wound. Why would someone do this to her? How much blood had she already lost? Too much if her paleness was any indication. She was dying.

Stefan was panicking now. He had to do something. He couldn't let this woman die. He had to…do what? Was he supposed to clean the wound? Wrap something tightly around her midsection in hopes of stopping the bleeding? No, that would be pointless, she had already lost too much blood. But then what-

"Master Stefan your father's guest has arrived."

Turning to the servant Stefan asked, "And what of the Doctor?"

"…Sir?"

"The Doctor, has he arrived yet? This woman is on the brink of death and she needs a doctor! Has he arrived?!"

"Um no sir. But we called for him. He should be here any moment now." The servant stated as he nervously shifted his feet.

Stefan looked back to the stranger, hoping beyond hope she would still be alive by the time the doctor arrived.

"Pardon, sir, but the guest, she has arrived sir."

Stefan turned to the servant, a torn look on his face. Sensing his hesitance the servant offered to stay by the woman's side and Stefan made his way to usher his father's guest inside the manor.

"Mister Salvatore I presume, I was wondering when I would be graced by one of the Masters of the house," The woman smirked at Stefan as he approached, holding out her hand for him to take. He did so hurriedly.

"Miss Katherine, yes my father had told me you would be arriving just before lunch. Frankly I had not expected you for at least a few more hours. I'm afraid you've caught me unprepared," Stefan's voice now took on an urgent tone as he let his worry for the stranger in his brother's room consume him. "You see Miss Katherine, someone's mortally wounded and the doctor has yet to arrive and I'm afraid she won't make it-"

"Oh I'm so sorry to have come at such an unfortunate time, but perhaps…we could help? My handmaid, Emily," Katherine gestured towards the woman standing behind her, "can tend to this person."

Stefan looked at this Emily. She didn't seem like much, perhaps it would be best to just wait for the doctor. Noticing Stefan's doubt, Emily spoke.

"This woman, you say, is mortally wounded, I am a medicine woman where I come from. I can help." Her earnest gaze seemed to reassure Stefan and he nodded gesturing she follow him.

Katherine followed suit as well, though she was slightly annoyed she had not had the welcome she had been promised by Giuseppe. No doubt this was one of his sons. He had told her about them, one was Damon, but he was serving with the Confederate Army. So this must be Stefan. Hmm.

Once they entered the room, Emily was instantly drawn to the figure on the bed. It was a faint pull, one she would recognize anywhere, despite how weak it was. Magic. This woman was a fellow witch. Yet the pull was also different, distinct. One she had felt with family. Not only was she a witch but she was her kin.

"She has been stabbed in the back and I can only assume she has lost quite a significant amount of blood, are you sure you can help her?" Stefan asked Emily, his brow furrowed, his worry for the stranger not going unnoticed by Katherine who found her annoyance increasing tenfold.

"Yes Mister Salvatore. I can help her." Emily directed her gaze to Katherine as she said, "I need to be alone with her for a moment."

Katherine nodded imperceptibly and took hold of Stefan's forearm and began leading him out of the room while Emily turned to the servant and asked to be brought herbs and other paraphernalia she would need to heal the woman.

"But-" Stefan started to protest.

"Stefan, is it? It's best we leave my handmaid to tend to the poor girl. We wouldn't want to be in her way. The less distracted she is, the faster she will have the girl up on her feet." Katherine smiled sweetly at him, her eyes narrowing as she locked her gaze with his.

"Yes, we wouldn't want to distract her." Stefan spoke in a monotonous voice, his eyes slightly glazed over.

Katherine's smile widened as she said, "Now why don't you show me around the grand Salvatore home your father has so boasted about?"

Inside the room, Emily had quickly disposed of the articles of clothing that had impeded her from seeing the extent of the woman's wounds. She then placed her hands over the injury and began chanting a spell that would close the wound and restore just enough energy so that the woman would regain consciousness.

Just as Emily's voice died down, the woman's eyes fluttered open and she turned over only to be met by Emily's questioning gaze.

"What the hell?!" Bonnie yelled as she quickly scrambled back on the bed only to hit her head hard on the headrest.

"Hello, my name's Emily. Who…who are you?" Emily spoke softly as if she didn't want to startle her.

"I'm Bonnie…Bonnie Bennett."

* * *

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N: To dispel any confusion, this chapter takes place during 4x15, Stand by Me. As it stands the formatting of the story will be as follows: two past chapters and one present, which will incorporate an episode of the show.**

******Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Two

_ "I'll find Bonnie, you get Elena off this island."_

How long ago had that been? Five…no six hours, and Damon had thus far been unsuccessful. He'd found Rebekah-or rather she had found him-and he got the answers he needed from Vaughn, yet the reason he had stayed behind on this god forsaken island in the first place had yet to be found.

"Dammit, witch. Where are you?"

He paused for a moment and listened hard for the rustling of bushes, crunching of dead leaves on the ground, anything, but the forest was silent. He had left Rebekah with Vaughn on the other side of the island and continued his search yet Bonnie was nowhere in sight.

Frustrated, Damon ran his fingers through his hair as he considered his situation. He knew Elena needed him. He knew he would have to use the sire bond if, no _when_ she finally came to her senses and realized that Jeremy was not coming back. But what was he going to do? Command she not grieve over her brother's death? And if he did, how would he go about doing that?

_ "Oh um…listen Elena I want you to not be sad over your brother's death. Do this for me, yeah?"_

Damon scoffed. This was ridiculous. The only viable solution would be for her to flip the switch. But this was Elena…

No, he shouldn't be thinking about this. He needed to find Bonnie.

_ Bonnie…_

For the umpteenth time Damon pondered over Rebekah's words.

_ "…You're one to talk about being afraid. You're so scared you're 1200 miles from where you're supposed to be."_

_ No, _Damon thought. He wasn't scared. He was doing damage control. The sooner he found Bonnie the sooner the both of them could get back to Mystic Falls and save the day. Hadn't that always been their way? As twisted as a dynamic they were, Bonnie and him were always the ones who at the end of the day came up with the solutions. And Bonnie loved Jeremy. Despite his betrayal, she loved him and therefore would do anything in her power to bring Little Gilbert back. Perhaps there would be no need for the sire bond.

Deep down though, Damon knew the truth. Jeremy was gone. Not even Bonnie could save him this time.

_ "Somebody needed to find Bonnie."_

_ "Stefan could've done that."_

Yes. Damon supposed Stefan could have stayed behind, after all he was just as capable of finding the witch. But Damon was a man of action, and when something needed to be done he preferred doing it himself. Something along the lines of _"if you want it done right, do it yourself."_

Still it was more then that. Damon didn't care much for others. In fact, if asked he'd claim Elena encompassed all he held near and dear in this world. Yet he had forged tentative friendships in Mystic Falls: Liz Forbes, Carol Lockwood, and Alaric Saltzman. _And Bonnie. _

Damon frowned. He wasn't sure if what he had with the little witch would classify as a friendship. More like allies united under a common enemy. However, those friendships were one by one ending prematurely. Alaric was dead as was Carol, and Bonnie…well, she was nowhere to be found apparently.

Fact stood that too many had died already, and despite his inherent nature, Damon had grown weary of death.

"What a paradox." He murmured.

* * *

Stefan was slightly shaking himself out of his reverie.

"Earth to Stefan…" Meredith was looking at him strangely.

"What…" Stefan replied breathlessly. Had he been day dreaming? About _Bonnie _of all people? He could have sworn he was somewhere else, in a time far gone, but Bonnie had been there, and now here he was, sitting at the top of the stairs with a concerned Meredith.

"You looked faraway for a second there. Are you alright?"

"Yeah…yeah…uh, I need to call Damon._"_

Standing hurriedly and walking down the stairs towards the living room he pulled out his phone. He paused in the middle of dialing the number as his visions became clearer. Something about what he saw was bothering him. Why was Bonnie in those visions? And why was he seeing her just now? And there had been blood?…Blood! There had been blood on his hands, which meant Bonnie was seriously injured. Could he have had a premonition? But that was ridiculous he didn't have that ability. So then what had he just seen? It felt more like a memory than a vision, truth be told. But then that would mean that Bonnie had been in the past with him. No, it couldn't be. Stefan would've remembered seeing Bonnie there before.

Suddenly a sharp pain throbbed on his temple, and Stefan clutched both sides of his head as his vision blurred and he saw…_Katherine?…and Emily?_ His vision refocused as quickly as it had gone and the pain slowly subsided. Yet a sense of dread was slowly taking over him. Something was wrong with Bonnie, that much he could tell and Stefan had a nagging suspicion that Bonnie was no longer on that island. Glancing down at the phone in his hand, Stefan dialed his brother once more and waited for him to answer.

* * *

The shrill ringing of his phone startled a few animals in the nearby trees. Damon hastily pulled it out and frowned when he saw the caller id.

"What is it Stefan?"

_ "Did you find her?" _

Damon grimaced slightly before replying, "No. I'm still looking."

There was a rustling of sound on the other end before he heard Stefan once more.

_ "Look Damon, I think you need to come back. We're doing everything we can to delay things here but we have to get Jeremy to a morgue before it gets ugly."_

Damon clenched his teeth, he knew his brother wouldn't be able to hold down the fort for too long. And he himself had yet to find his witch.

"Dammit, I can't jus…I can't just leave her behind. I can't show up without _Bonnie!"_

* * *

At the other end of the line Stefan winced slightly. How could he convince Damon that Bonnie wasn't on that island? He himself wasn't quite so sure. But she couldn't be there. Something was telling him she wasn't there. And these memories… Besides Elena was close to reaching her breaking point and Damon had to be here to use the sire bond on her.

Making up his mind Stefan replied, "I think you have to, at this point the sire bond is probably the only thing that's going to keep Elena together, and she's already starting to lose it Damon."

Sensing his brother's hesitation he added, "I can go back to find Bonnie."

There was silence for a long moment on the other end before Damon mutedly responded, _"I'm on my way."_

* * *

Damon was pissed off. After scouring the island one more time in a hopeless attempt to find Bonnie, he took a flight back to the states. All the time his worry for the witch increasing.

_ I knew showing up without Bonnie would be a bad idea._

Upon seeing Damon arrive without a certain green-eyed witch, Elena went off the deep end. She was angry at Damon for leaving Bonnie behind. Hell, she was mad at Bonnie for not being there to help her bring Jeremy back. Something Damon thought was completely unfair, not to mention Jeremy was beyond saving-he could still recall the smell of his body decomposing.

In the end, just as predicted, her friend's absence had been the final straw that broke the camel's back. Elena had snapped with her grief going so far as to dousing the entire downstairs and her brother's body with gasoline and bourbon-what a waste-and just as she was going to let the match drop, she broke down in sobs.

A spectacle that would have gone on longer had Stefan not said the three words that prompted Damon to do the one thing he knew had to be done.

_ "Damon, help her."_

So now they were at the Salvatore Boardinghouse stuck with an Elena sans humanity.

But that's not why Damon was pissed off. No. What pissed him off was that Stefan had yet to pack his bags and get on his merry way to find Bonnie.

Damon burst through Stefan's door without bothering to knock.

"What the hell are you still doing here Stefan? You told me you would go back to find Bonnie. Hell, the only reason I came back was because you assured me you would. But you're still here. _Why?!_" He spoke the last word menacingly as he narrowed cold eyes on his brother. However noticing how Stefan was hunched over on the bed, his head in his hands, Damon paused slightly in his tirade, and asked in a marginally lower voice, "What's wrong with you?"

"I…ugh, I have a headache." Getting his bearings back Stefan continued, "Look Damon I'm having these visions and I think-"

Damon growled in frustration his anger rising once more, "What? Visions? Stefan I don't give a crap about any visions. _We need to find Bonnie!" _

"Shh! Damon keep your voice down, Elena's around here somewhere." Stefan walked towards Damon, hands lifted in a placating manner, but this seemed to irritate his brother even more.

"I'm done talking to you Stefan, if you're not going back for Bonnie, then I will. You can stay here and baby sit Elena." Damon turned to leave but found his way blocked by his brother. "Stefan what the-"

"Damon stop you can't go back to that island!"

"Why the hell not?!"

"Because…" Stefan paused, seeming to search for the right words.

Damon's patience was gone though and he pushed Stefan roughly to the side making his way to the door but just as his hand reached for the handle he heard Stefan speak in a gruff voice.

"Bonnie's not on that island Damon. She's not there anymore."

Damon turned to his brother once more, an incredulous look on his face.

"What do you mean Stefan?"

Sighing tiredly and rubbing his face with his hands Stefan explained about his new found memories, about Bonnie being in the past, about her arriving shortly before Katherine did. He himself had found it hard to believe at first, but now more then ever he knew it to be true. Damon would not find Bonnie on that island because she simply wasn't there, or anywhere in the world, at this moment in time.

"But that doesn't make sense what would she be doing in the past? She wouldn't leave us, not now, especially not with Jeremy dying." Damon looked far off as he said this, his brain working a hundred miles a second.

"I don't know Damon but how else do you explain me having these memories all of a sudden I mean the first time around she wasn't there, and now she is. There's no other explanation."

"We need to get her back…" Damon spoke softly, as if in a daze.

"What?"

"We need to get her back Stefan, we need-"

Suddenly both Salvatores were on their knees, hands clutching their heads, groaning as a throbbing pain seared their temples.

* * *

Rebekah was tired of being on this island. Tired and terrified. After leaving Vaughn, she made her way back to the shore, hoping to come across Damon or the Bennett witch but she had no such luck. And now night had fallen. Despite being one of the creatures that go bump in the night, Rebekah didn't feel much like a hunter. She felt like prey, and she hated it.

_ "You be careful up there y' know, 'cause he's up there. Runnin' about."_

Rebekah kept on telling herself that Vaughn had only wanted to scare her. That Silas would not stay on this island once woken. But something told her that was not true.

"Ugh this is ridiculous." She muttered under her breath. "I am an original, I can't be killed without a white oak stake."

But Kol had driven himself crazy over fear of Silas.

"Kol was an idiot." She said aloud.

_ "They say no one's seen 'im. No one knows his face. How do you hide from the devil when you don't know what he looks like?"_

Rebekah came through an opening in the trees and she heard the soft splashing of the waves on the shore and she could make out the shape of one of the boats not too far away. Relief washed over her and she quickly made to walk towards it when suddenly she felt something grab her from behind and fling her against a tree. She heard a crack as her flashlight hit the ground and broke, casting the shore into darkness.

Something was pinning her to the tree, and applying pressure to her throat. Rebekah looked up at her attacker and saw two glassy eyes glaring at her and she could feel an icy breath hit her face as this _thing_ leaned over her.

Suddenly she heard a whistling as the creature before her inhaled, drawing a long steady breath. And then it spoke in a hissing sound with a dry voice that chilled her to the bone, and in her terror she barely registered the two words:

"Bennett witch."


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed/favorited/followed this story. I'm glad you all are enjoying it thus far and, without further ado, here's the next chapter. **

******Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Three

Once Bonnie had made up her mind and decided to perform the spell, the idea had been to go back to _the beginning of it all, when it all started_. Of course now that she thought about it, her mind a lot clearer and her body in a lot less pain thanks to Emily, those words _might _have been just a tad too vague.

To be fair, she had been under physical and emotional strain, she was allowed a mistake, wasn't she? The plan had been to go back just far enough to save Jeremy's life. But that had seemed unfair. After all Jeremy wasn't the only one who deserved saving. There were others who had fallen victim to the supernatural chaos that had invaded Mystic Falls. Tyler had lost both of his parents and his uncle Mason, and was now number one on Klaus' hit list. Caroline lost her father and was now one of the undead. And Elena-who was also part of the supernatural persuasion-had lost Jenna, who for all intents and purposes had become a mother to her and Jeremy. Then there had been Alaric, he had become family, their guardian, but he too was dead. But Matt, the last standing human among the gang-oh her heart went out to him it really did-lost his sister. Vicky may had been an overall troubled kid, but at the end of the day she was all Matt had. His mother was as absent as her own had been and his father…well she didn't know anything about Matt's father.

_ What about me? _Bonnie thought. She had been just as much a victim as the rest of them. Shane had manipulated her, had forfeited the life of a dozen people in order to initiate her into the precarious power that Expression allowed her to indulge in. It had seemed to good to be true: being able to use magic to protect those she loved without worrying of _keeping the balance_ or there being a _price. _But Expression was meant to be a means to an end. It wasn't supposed to create more trouble. Yet Bonnie was as much to blame for this as Shane. She knew _deep down_ that the power she tapped into was too unstable, too _dangerous. _But she had lost sight of it, of her control. She was too preoccupied with being up to par against whatever supernatural being was currently threatening those she cared about. What was it that Damon had said?

_ "The witch who loses her powers gets left out of important conversations."_

Of course he had just been messing with her hoping, as always, to get a rise out of her. But he was right, wasn't he? What could she possibly contribute without her magic? Without her powers she couldn't hope to protect anyone. She was just as useless and vulnerable as any human. And Shane knew just how to take advantage of her vulnerability. And so she succumbed to Expression.

Putting this whole Expression debacle aside though, there was more Bonnie had lost. Sheila Bennett had been her family, her protector, her mentor. But she had been taken from her before Bonnie was able to truly get a handle on being a witch. Indeed the death of her grams was one that weighed heavy on Bonnie's heart to this very day.

Then there was Abby. Although her estranged mother couldn't hope to fill the void her Grams had left in the wake of her death, Bonnie had hoped to at least obtain some form of tutelage from her. Though Bonnie had been adamant on keeping her relation with the woman who had abandoned her a brief and strictly professional one, she found herself slowly forming a bond between her and Abby against her better judgment. Yet before it truly had time to blossom, it too was taken away from her, by _Damon_ of all people. The same Damon that had inadvertently killed her grams. The same Damon that had single-handedly plunged her happy-go-lucky life into a reality with supernatural beings and death, _so much death. _

But that's what it all came down to though, wasn't it? The Salvatore Brothers. With their arrival in Mystic Falls there had been a perpetual chain of death in the town. They were the two stones dropped unceremoniously into the serene pool that Mystic Falls resembled. It was a matter of the ripple effect, and as time went on the waves just got bigger and bigger, every occurrence increasingly more tragic than the last.

It wasn't that Bonnie blamed Stefan and Damon for every single bad thing that happened-that would be unrealistic of her-but it was a fact that Mystic Falls had been a small and boring town just like any other, before they appeared. And so it seemed only logical she go back and prevent them from coming. Of course she hadn't thought that far ahead therefore she had no game plan as to how exactly she would keep the Salvatores away but she figured she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. So while she concentrated on chanting the spell, she repeated the words '_to the beginning of it all, when it all started' _in her head like a mantra, over and over again.

It was in those exact words that her mistake could be found. It was bothersome really, but when performing magic, it was essential that she be specific, or run the risk of her words being misconstrued. Or in this case, taken too literal.

"Bonnie _Bennett?" _

Bonnie looked up to her ancestor noticing Emily's barely contained curiosity as she was abruptly brought back from her thoughts. Now she was questioning whether it had been wise to divulge her true identity to Emily, in fact she hadn't really thought it through she had merely blurted out her name, a knee-jerk reaction. But she supposed Emily was the only person that could help her get to the time she had actually intended. If there was anyone she could trust in this time-whenever that was-it was her ancestor, right?

"Yes." Bonnie replied as she rubbed the spot on her head that had collided with the headboard. She was feeling cold all of a sudden and looked down to examine herself and gave a small scream.

"Where's my shirt?!" Bonnie asked as she looked wildly around the room. She could've sworn she was wearing a shirt _and _jacket when she had been stabbed in that cavern where Silas had been.

Emily cleared her throat as she held out both articles of clothing to Bonnie.

"I had to remove them you see, to heal the wound." She explained.

"Oh…um…thanks for that." Bonnie replied embarrassed by her own hysterics. She was in front of Emily, one of the most-no _the _most powerful witch in the Bennett line and she was having a full on fit over a _shirt. _Bonnie tried to contain her flushing cheeks as she pulled her shirt over her head but Emily didn't seem to notice her chagrin.

"I don't understand. You are a Bennett, yes?" Emily paused and Bonnie nodded to confirm her statement. "…yet I have never heard of a _Bonnie." _Emily made a face as she pronounced her name, as if it were foreign to her.

"Well, um that's not surprising you see-"

"But you are my family!" Emily concluded quite ecstatically, before her face fell into a look of confusion once more.

"Yes I am-"

"I still don't understand." Emily grumbled in frustration.

"Well if you would let me ex-"

"I mean I feel the bond that exists between us, we _are _family and yet I do not _know_ you." Emily spoke softly as if to herself, Bonnie's words going unacknowledged. "And those awful clothes."

"Hey! I resent that. My taste in fashion happens to be very good." Bonnie interrupted her and sighed as her comment finally brought Emily back to the present.

"Look it's not surprising you don't know me. I mean I'm not exactly from around here." Bonnie chuckled slightly as she brought her hands together on her lap. "In fact I'm not entirely sure where _here _is…?"

Bonnie looked questioningly to Emily, but she only stared back at her expecting her to continue.

"Here is the Salvatore Manor, although if you rather I were more specific, _here_ is my brother Damon's quarters."

Bonnie jumped at the new male voice that sounded alarmingly familiar, and looked to the door where she saw-

"Pardon me, where are my manners, I am Stefan Salvatore." Stefan said as he came up to the bed. He extended his hand to her but pulled it back as Bonnie made no move to acknowledge it. Now embarrassed he used the same hand to rub the back of his neck as he continued in a less boisterous tone. "Erm, I found you on the estate, near the stables and you were wounded and bleeding…"

Bonnie, for the life of her could not move a muscle. She was sure her eyes were popping out of their sockets, she was in a complete state of shock, because this Stefan was _human_! How far back had she gone exactly?

"…I had thought you would not survive." Stefan continued as his forehead crumpled and his brow furrowed, a look of brooding Bonnie was all too familiar with. "However it seems I had no need to doubt you Miss Katherine, your handmaid is quite the healer."

At this Stefan directed a smile at Katherine whom Bonnie had noticed for the first time was standing in the doorway. Bonnie felt anger rising in her and the burning desire to pop every blood vessel within the vampire's head as she remembered how Katherine had bitten into Jeremy's neck so mercilessly and taken the cure.

"Well Stefan," Katherine replied in a sickly sweet voice. "I hope you are sufficiently satisfied with the state of the girl, perhaps now we could get back to that tour?"

Katherine was annoyed, though she hid it well. They had made it to the front gardens of the home before Stefan began voicing his concern for the woman and asking "But Miss Katherine, are you sure your handmaid will heal her?" and stating profusely that "Perhaps we should wait for the doctor?"

In the end Katherine had thought she had given Emily enough time to work her magic-literally-and reanimate the girl, and figured the best way to quiet Stefan's qualms was for him to see the girl actually up and about. And having done just that, she thought it was time she began receiving the attention that was due to her on behalf of one exceptionally handsome Stefan Salvatore, whom, to her dismay, had been all too consumed with worry for a _slave girl_.

However, Stefan turned once more to the girl completely ignoring her statement and began speaking to her once more. Katherine huffed and stomped her foot slightly, her hands on her hips, until she caught Emily staring at her pointedly. She knew that look, it was her I-need-to-speak-to-you-in-private look. Probably about something concerning her magic. Nodding slightly she pivoted and made her way into the hallway in search for some place out of reach of prying ears, knowing that Emily would be close behind.

Bonnie was panicking. Emily had simply walked out, following Katherine who knows where and leaving Bonnie to an animated Stefan who was really quite chatty as a human. She had to think, Stefan had just asked her a question and she had no clue how to respond. She thought back to all the dog-eared pages of her turn-of-the-century novels, hoping to god that she chose the proper vernacular for this time. However it was pointless since she couldn't recall exactly what it was Stefan had asked and therefore decided to counter him with a question of her own.

"I'm sorry sir, but do you think it's wise for me to be in _this _room?" He had said she was in Damon's room right? Wasn't there some kind of protocol here? Surely she shouldn't be in a room such as this one, it was entirely too elegant-ludicrously so-and if the interaction between Emily and Katherine was anything to go by, she herself would be considered a slave.

She looked up at Stefan who looked sheepishly at her but with a boyish smile that surprised her. The Stefan of her time had never looked so carefree.

"My brother is not present at the moment, and well what he doesn't know won't hurt him," He gave her a conspiratorial smile before continuing. "Damon's gone to serve the Confederate Army, you see?"

Bonnie nodded. Well at least she wouldn't have to deal with Damon in this time. Perhaps she'd even be back in her own time before he came back.

"But he'll be here in less than two days-"

_ Perhaps not._ Bonnie thought grudgingly.

"He's coming to visit for a while before he's called back to duty." Bonnie noticed for the first time the pride in Stefan's voice as he spoke of his older brother. There was no hint of the exasperation that would permeate Stefan's voice when he spoke of his brother in the future she came from.

"In any case Damon won't mind us using his room, especially if it's for a good cause." He smiled once more at her.

_ Oh great I'm a charity case._ Bonnie thought sarcastically. _Where the hell is Emily?_

Just then Emily came back followed by a servant. _Speak of the Devil…_ The servant came up to Stefan and spoke briskly.

"Master Stefan, your father has arrived."

Stefan nodded, his face suddenly serious. The servant made to leave but was stopped by Stefan's words.

"I want no word of this woman spoken to my father. As far as he is concerned she is not here, understood?"

Stefan's change in demeanor was such that Bonnie shuddered slightly at the thought of what Stefan's father would do if he found her in here. She didn't know much about Giuseppe Salvatore but had gathered from Elena that he was a ruthless man, and she was silently grateful that Stefan had thought of forewarning the servant.

As the servant left Emily spoke to Stefan, "Mister Salvatore if you'll excuse me I'll be taking her to my room now."

"Oh no, that won't be necessary, besides it's best she stay here and fully recuperate, it was a rather profound wound I saw, which incidentally, how did you come upon such an injury Miss?"

Bonnie had a deer-caught-in-the-headlights moment as Stefan turned to address her. She looked to Emily for help, but was spared by a booming voice that was heard from elsewhere in the house.

Stefan winced slightly and made to leave but before he was fully out addressed both her and Emily.

"She is to stay in this room until she fully recuperates." His voice left no room for discussion as he was finally gone, closing the door behind him.

Bonnie gave a sigh of relief before rounding on Emily.

"You! Why did you leave me alone with him? I don't even know what I'm supposed to be saying, I don't have a cover story. What if I had said something that compromised my position?"

"I had to speak to my mistress. I told her you were a cousin that has come to visit and I made it clear to her that you…" Emily paused right here and looked around the room making sure there was no one in sight before whispering, "that you have no _magic._"

"Don't you think it would have been best to say I wasn't related to you at all?"

Emily was shaking her head no before Bonnie finished her question.

"No it wouldn't have. You see, if your presence were to come in question Katherine would simply state you were meant to rendezvous with me here but was attacked by a man who stabbed you and robbed you of your belongings, thus explaining your lack of bags. And your last name isn't Bennett its Everett."

Bonnie nodded, impressed by Emily's quick thinking.

"So tell me Bonnie, exactly where are you from?" Emily now had her hands on her hips and her tone was serious.

"_Exactly_ where I'm from?" Bonnie asked, feeling like a child who was about to get scolded once she admitted she stole the cookie from the cookie jar. Emily glared at her in answer to her question.

"I'm from Mystic Falls." Bonnie stated.

Emily looked ready to yell at her so Bonnie quickly added, "I think the real question is _when _am I from and well…I'm from the year 2011."

There was a long pause as Emily considered this new information. Bonnie saw the explosion building up before it actually happened and so was able to mentally prepare herself for the tirade that was surely to come form Emily.

"How could you be so irresponsible? Coming to the past! That is not something to be done lightly, you could change important things that are _meant _to happen!"

At this Bonnie bristled and immediately responded in an accusatory tone, "How are you so sure that _I _did the spell? Someone could have just as easily sent me back here against my will!"

"Because I can see the guilt written all over your face, and there are traces of power coming from _you _indicating the magic that is responsible for your being here was _done by you!"_ Emily stabbed her finger in the air with the last three words for emphasis.

Bonnie sighed tiredly sitting back onto the pillows knowing that this conversation was going to last a very long time. _Might as well get comfortable I guess._


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: I typed up another chapter today so I figured it'd be okay to post this one up. We had a lot of trouble with this chapter. It was typed up and ready to be revised when my laptop sputtered and died and since I was procrastinating, I didn't back it up. So it took us a while to type it up again, but we were happy with the end product. Enjoy!**

**********Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Four

Damon trudged up the stairs as quietly as possible, mindful of the sleeping household. He had traveled most of the night on his way from Atlanta in hopes of arriving earlier than anticipated to surprise Stefan. He was not due to arrive until the day after, yet his discomfort at camp and the desire to see his little brother had hastened his departure. Although he dreaded the disapproval he would undoubtedly receive on behalf of his father for dismissing his duties as a soldier of the Confederacy, Damon missed his brother and was determined to enjoy his brief reprieve from the less than favorable conditions he was forced to endure while at camp. He therefore made a promise to focus his attentions on his brother and ignore any forthcoming conflict with his father.

_Wonder how long that will last._

Damon shook his head to rid himself of the muddling thoughts as he opened the door to his quarters. The hour was much too late-or early-to be contemplating such matters.

Once inside he dropped his sack and made quick work of ridding himself of his jacket and shirt, and kicked his boots off as he made his way to the welcoming bed in the dark. His mind already drifting off, he took no notice of the sudden warmth he came upon under the bed sheets and instead snuggled deeper into it as his breathing settled and sleep overtook him.

* * *

Bonnie felt warm. No, not warm, she felt _hot_, stiflingly so. She groaned as she attempted to move and felt a tightening around her waist. Trying to gather her bearings as she tried to piece together exactly where the hell she was, she moved to sit up, when she realized that the tightening she felt around her waist was an _arm_.

_What the-?_

Her eyes wide in terror she turned slowly to look to her side and muffled a scream as a shirtless Damon snuggled up against her left arm while his own arm was thrown haphazardly over her waist, holding her in an awkward cuddle.

Quickly recovering from her shock and with a strength she had not known she possessed, she indignantly pushed Damon away from her smirking as she heard him fall off the side of the bed and hit the floor with an audible _umph._

"What the hell are you doing in my room Damon?" Bonnie asked, quickly contorting her smug expression into one of controlled anger.

Damon swiftly grabbed the first thing his hand came into contact with and stood up, hair disheveled, cheeks flushed, and arms at the ready to attack whoever had awoken him.

"Wh-o…" Damon cleared his throat to compose himself, "Who are you and what are you doing in my room?"

Bonnnie couldn't help herself and chuckled at the sight he made.

"A boot? Seriously Damon? What are you going to do, beat me upside the head with it?" She stared at him incredulously as she sat upright in the bed.

Damon narrowed his eyes at her teasing tone, and flushed even redder in embarrassment for he was indeed holding a boot in his hand. Nonetheless he stood his ground and spoke in a harsher tone.

"I demand to know who you are and what you are doing-"

Bonnie bristled, instantly riled up by his tone. "Woah, hold up, _demand_? _You _are the one in _my _room. If anyone needs to do some explaining, its you."

"Wha-…no, this is _my _room and I won't have you addressing me in such a manner."

Bonnie took in her surroundings suddenly remembering where and _when _she was. "Oh shi-"

"Good morning Miss. Forgive me for intruding I just wanted to check in on…Damon!"

Both Bonnie and Damon turned to the door where Stefan stood, shocked by his brothers presence.

Damon dropped his hands to the side, still holding the boot, and said sheepishly, "Uh…surprise?"

Stefan rushed over and hugged Damon, laughing heartily, "Surprise? Surprise?! You appear out of nowhere and all you have to say is 'surprise'?"

"Well brother, did I surprise you?" Damon smirked.

"Of course you did Damon! I'm so glad to see you. How was Atlanta?" Stefan spoke animatedly with his brother, Bonnie all but forgotten.

Bonnie for her part, was completely slack-jawed. Damon and Stefan were before her conversing like old friends, like _brothers._ It was a rare sight to see, and it was _weird_. She was used to them arguing and Stefan usually walking away grumbling irritably, leaving Damon behind with that smug smirk of his that seemed permanently etched on his face. Of course there were those occasions where they'd set their differences aside and work together to ensure Elena wasn't kidnapped, or killed by the current baddy. Indeed it seemed that Elena was the only one who could bring the Salvatores together in her time.

"Uh, brother?" Stefan asked lifting an eyebrow at his brother and chuckling slightly. "What are you doing holding that boot?"

Damon looked from his brother to the boot, his face reddening once more. But remembering the stranger in his bed, tilted the boot towards the girl and asked, "Who is she?"

Stefan turned his gaze toward the bed and gave a quiet "Oh!" He cleared his throat before proceeding, "Damon this is…" letting his words drift in realization that he had yet to learn her name.

"You don't know her name?" Damon asked.

"No but it's fine I had her placed in your room-"

"You let a _stranger _in my room?!" Damon was growing frustrated with his brother now.

Stefan scoffed, "Brother relax, she's a girl, she's hardly dangerous."

Damon huffed at this. Stefan hadn't been thrown off his bed, or else he'd be stating otherwise. His side still hurt from the fall.

"I still don't understand what she's doing in _my _room."

"Well, Damon, she was mortally wounded and-"

"_Wounded_?! How?" Damon looked at the girl. She didn't look like she was dying, and apparently had enough strength in her to throw a grown man off a bed. No, there was something wrong with this picture. He turned back to his brother who looked sheepish.

"You don't know how, do you?"

"Well, I-" Stefan began explaining but was cut off once more by his brother.

"Stefan!" Damon whined.

"Stop whining, Damon, and stop interrupting me. I haven't had an opportunity to ask her, I was busy with father's new guest."

Stefan turned to the girl who had a pensive look about her.

"Miss, I am sorry but I do not know your name."

But Bonnie failed to notice the attention was once again on her. Damon catching on to this, cleared his throat. She finally looked up to Damon and Stefan's expectant faces.

"What?" Bonnie asked looking down on her self, maybe she had a stain on the dress Emily had given her yesterday.

"My brother was inquiring about your name and the nature of your _supposed_ injuries."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, of course Damon would be suspicious of her. She turned to address Stefan choosing to ignore Damon, something he noticed and looked quite affronted about.

"My name is Bonnie."

Stefan smiled at her, liking the name, while Damon stared on.

"Bonniiiiieeeee…" Damon glared at her waiting for a last name whilst Stefan shook his head at his brother's antics.

Annoyed, Bonnie answered, "Be…Everett." she finished quickly fixing her mistake. Or so she thought.

Damon, who noticed everything, naturally caught on to it and was on her in a second. "Do you not know your own name, Miss _Be-Everett_?"

Bonnie panicked for all of two seconds before squaring her shoulders and looking him straight in the eye. "I'm sorry if I had a brief lapse in memory but, you know I was injured and am still a bit shaken over the ordeal, I am allowed a simple mistake given the circumstances." She almost stuck her tongue out at Damon, but caught herself, she refused to stoop to childish antics with him. It was incredible how, human or otherwise, Damon was still the most infuriating person on the planet.

Damon was about to retort but was cut off by a very concerned Stefan, "She is right Damon. I found her myself yesterday morning on the brink of death. I do believe Miss Everett has the right to be a little confused after such a traumatic experience. Coincidentally Miss, how did you come by such a wound?"

Bonnie was quick to reply having memorized the excuse Emily had given her verbatim.

"Well, I was traveling here to Mystic Falls and I had just reached the outskirts of your manor when I was attacked by someone, I imagine a man. He stabbed me and took my belongings. I tried to find someone to help but by the time I reached the stables I was much too exhausted and the pain was too much. I passed out shortly after and well, the next thing I remember was waking up here."

Bonnie gestured her surroundings with her hands, hoping she had been convincing enough. Stefan was the first to speak.

"You were attacked! Damon we must inform the Sheriff at once. Who knows where this man is and how many other women have been attacked as well." Stefan looked about ready to run out of the room but Damon grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Now hold on Stefan," He turned to Bonnie. "You said you were traveling alone. Well that was your first mistake, someone such as yourself has no business traveling alone. Frankly, I'm surprised you made it to Mystic Falls _before_ being attacked."

Bonnie almost gave him an aneurysm before remembering he was human and doing so would kill him. Nonetheless she was fuming, she had to shut Damon up before his incessant prying blew her cover.

"Damon! That's hardly important. What's done is done. What matters now is we inform the Sheriff and have the culprit apprehended for what he did to Miss Everett."

Damon turned to his brother solemnly, sometimes he forgot how naïve Stefan could be.

"Stefan, that won't help any. I very much doubt the Sheriff would care enough to look into the matter."

Stefan looked at his brother realization dawning on him.

"But perhaps we should try maybe-"

"No he's right. They aren't going to care that I was stabbed." Bonnie, for the first time since arriving to 1864, was hyper-aware of the situation she found herself in, and it made her feel sick. "I'm just grateful that you found me when you did."

Stefan smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm glad I could help you Miss Everett."

Damon looked at his younger brother with unbridled curiosity. He had always been the nicer of the two but he had never seen him act this nice and caring especially with a servant girl. Although Damon loved his brother he had never taken to caring for the plight of others, which is why he found Stefan's concern for the girl disconcerting. Before Damon could drag his brother away from Miss-I-can't-remember-my-name he was interrupted. _This is turning to be a strange and frustrating morning,_ Damon thought, irked by the situation he had woken up to.

"Good Morning Bonnie…" Emily began entering the room. "Oh, pardon me, Mister Stefan, I did not know you were in here."

Try as she might, Emily could not hide her surprise at finding Stefan and another young man in the room with Bonnie so early in the morning.

"It's quite alright Miss Emily." Stefan quickly answered. "I was just checking in on Miss Everett. You see, I wanted to make sure she was really better. I had thought she'd surely still be in some measure of pain and I wanted to keep her company." Stefan ended rather sheepishly, a deep flush colouring his cheeks. Damon frowned as he took note of this.

Stefan noticed Emily's attention was elsewhere in the room and realized she had yet to meet his brother. He quickly introduced Damon to Emily and vice versa.

The three of them stood rather awkwardly, neither knowing where to go from here. Bonnie chuckled at this and Emily turned her sharp eyes to her before turning once more to the Salvatores.

"If you don't mind I must tend to Bonnie's wound now."

"Yes of course Miss Emily." Stefan gestured that Damon follow him out of the room. Damon bent down quickly, gathering his sack, shirt, and boots before excusing himself and giving a slight bow of the head and a, "Miss Emily, Miss Bonnie."

But before they were completely out of the room, Bonnie rushed to say, "Mister Stefan, you can call me Bonnie." She smiled kindly at Stefan before throwing a smug look at Damon and saying, "_You _can call me Miss Everett."

Damon was about to retort but was pulled swiftly out of the room by Stefan who shut the door quickly after his brother.

"The nerve of that girl, really." Damon grumbled as he struggled to pull on his boots and shirt while following after his brother.

"Damon, what do you expect? You weren't particularly cordial to her." Stefan chuckled. "Does father know you arrived early?"

Damon made a face as he caught up to his brother. He wanted to avoid seeing Giuseppe all day today if he could help it. Thinking fast on his feet, he pulled a leather ball from his sack and smiled as he saw it caught Stefan's attention.

"What's that brother?"

"This is a football, Stefan. Come on I'll teach you how to play." Damon ran off, Stefan chasing after him, mildly intrigued.

* * *

"Your injury is healing much better than I expected. It appears your powers are helping you heal more than I believed they would." Emily frowned slightly as she said this. Bonnie merely nodded.

"This is good news, since I'm running low on supplies," Emily continues. "Now you'll be able to help gather the herbs I need for healing and the ingredients for your return spell. Can you remember what you used for the spell Bonnie?"

"That's good news Emily. I hate lying in bed for days, it makes me feel useless. I'll be happy to help you gather herbs. But I don't remember exactly what I used for the spell, I think the wooziness from the blood loss is affecting my memory, it's all very confusing." Bonnie looked away as she said this, she had a feeling Emily could tell she was lying from just one look at her face.

"All right, well I'm sure you'll remember soon enough." Emily gave her a look before continuing. "The herbs I need you to collect can be found in the Salvatore garden so you won't have to go too far. I'd accompany you but I must tend to my Mistress. But come, I'll take you to your new room first. Come on gather your things."

Bonnie quickly grabbed her few possessions and clutched them tightly to her as she followed Emily who began reciting a list of herbs for Bonnie to memorize.

* * *

"Wait, where did you learn this game?"

Stefan and Damon burst out of the front doors of their home and ran quickly towards the lawn.

"Camp outside Atlanta. One of the officers picked it up at Harvard. Catch!"

Stefan ran quickly after the ball managing to catch it. Damon charged after him, ready to tackle his brother to the ground.

"Wait, wait. What are the rules? What are the rules?!"

"Who needs rules?" a voice called, disrupting the boys from their game. Damon looked at the young woman in awe. With long curls falling around her shoulders, coy smile planted on her face, and doe eyes that could get the best of any man, Damon think's he's never seen such beauty before in his life. Stefan on his part looked at Katherine with a little bit of aggravation for interrupting his quality time with his brother. However, he can't help but smile back at her, she really was quite breathtaking. Katherine looked on expectantly, waiting to be introduced to the other quite handsome Salvatore.

"Miss Katherine this is my big brother Damon. Damon this is father's guest, Miss Katherine Pierce."

"It certainly is a pleasure meeting you Miss Katherine," Damon bows and takes Katherine's offered hand, giving it a light kiss. Katherine giggled at his words before turning to Stefan and saying, "Mind if I join you?"

At Stefan's puzzled look she quickly swiped the ball from his hands and lifted her skirts as she ran off, laughing.

Damon looks at his brother incredulously, "Why are you standing there? _That_ is a girl who clearly wants to be chased." But Stefan just stared on, unable to process what had happened. "If you don't do it I will."

Damon ran off after Katherine, not one to miss such an opportunity. Stefan finally snapped out of it and was about to follow but someone caught his eye and instead made way in the direction of his distraction, leaving Katherine to his brother.

* * *

Bonnie had a bit of trouble finding the gardens from her room. The size of the Salvatore Estate was daunting and it had taken Bonnie longer then expected to reach her destination. Once there, she had expertly avoided and ignored the Salvatores when she noticed them playing football, heading instead straight for the garden eager to get her task done. She figured she could go back to her room and avoid interacting with too many people in this era, at least until she was confident she wouldn't accidentally let something of her true origins slip.

She was almost done when Katherine's _'Who needs rules?' _caught her attention and she turned just in time to watch Damon running after her.

"Predictable," Bonnie mumbled as she rolled her eyes. Damon chasing after a doppelganger was nothing new or trivial for Bonnie. She returned to her job with a sigh. Picking herbs was exhausting even without an injury. Leaning over once more she was startled by Stefan, "Miss Bonnie, what are you doing out here?"

"Mister Stefan," Bonnie smiled at him. "I told you, you can call me Bonnie, the 'miss' makes me feel so old."

Stefan's eyebrows lifted in surprise at her words but returned her smile, "Well in that case Bonnie, you can call me Stefan."

Bonnie gestured to her basket, "I'm gathering some healing herbs for Emily. She was running low and asked if I could help her collect them in case there is another emergency."

"Miss Emily should have asked another of the servants. You should be resting." Stefan said, his voice laced with disapproval.

"Oh but Mister Stef…I mean Stefan," Bonnie clarified at his look, "I am much better, Emily checked on me after you and your brother left. She said I was well enough and that some fresh air would help as well."

Stefan looked uncertain but conceded.

"That is good news, but I will help you pick the herbs that are clear to the ground so you do not strain your injury."

"You don't have to, but thank you Stefan," Bonnie responded appreciatively.

* * *

Damon ran after Katherine, oblivious to the fact that his brother had not pursued them until Katherine had been led away by Miss Emily who had informed her that she had a visitor. When Katherine was finally out of sight, Damon noticed just exactly where his brother had run off to. He spotted him conversing with that servant girl _Miss Be-Everett_. This irked him to no end because he was the one who was supposed to have Stefan's attention, after all the only reason he braved a visit to the estate was to spend some time with his little brother. And instead he was left to his own devices in favor of this _Bonnie._ Acting on impulse, as Damon was known for doing, he gripped the ball and aimed it towards the girl with a smirk on his face.

Bonnie saw the ball coming and quickly used her power to steer the ball away before remembering that she shouldn't be using magic in the open, _especially_ with a very human Damon and Stefan and Katherine roaming the grounds. So she quickly dropped her hand and the ball came straight at her. The ball hit her directly on the head sending Bonnie and the herb basket to the ground.

Stefan quickly came to her aid, while Damon ran towards them. He turned to his brother as he pulled Bonnie up and yelled at him, "Damon, why did you do that? Have you forgotten about her injury?"

Bonnie's world spun as Stefan righted her and her hands flew to her head as the dizziness slowly dissipated. Bonnie then looked at Damon who looked contrite and rightfully so, she could not _believe _Damon. This was ridiculous, this was borderline _childish._

"Stefan, it was not my intention to hurt her. I merely threw the ball in your general direction trying to get your attention since-"

But Stefan was furious at his brother's behaviour and cut him off with a glare. "Clearly you have better aim than you thought."

He then turned to Bonnie to inspect her, "Bonnie, are you alright? I'm sorry about my brother, he usually does not act like this."

Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's words, suddenly not feeling guilty at all for having done what he did.

"I swear even if I do have great aim, I did not aim at her head. I clearly saw the ball going towards the space between you two but it changed its trajectory as if something moved it and ended up hitting her head." Damon frowned, there was something strange about how the ball simply changed its course in mid air.

Bonnie barely managed to stifle her gasp, she had messed up yet again and forgot how observant Damon was. She thought his keen senses had come from being a vampire but she was wrong, human Damon was just as observant.

"I'm okay Stefan. I think I should just go get some rest now." Bonnie wanted to get as much distance between Damon and herself, afraid she might say or do something that could further his suspicions.

"All right," Stefan agreed, "but I will accompany you."

Bonnie didn't bother protesting, she knew Stefan wouldn't take no for an answer. As an after thought Stefan yelled back, "Damon make yourself useful and go get Miss Emily, I want to make sure Bonnie is truly alright."

Damon watched his little brother help Bonnie into the house and rolled his eyes a second time. He _did not _like Miss Be-Everett, not one bit. There was something off about her and he was going to find out what it was. He turned then and reluctantly went in search of Miss Emily.


	6. Chapter FIve

**A/N: For some reason my muse has been very generous and so I was able to type up another chapter today. This one takes place during 4x16, Bring it On. Much thanks to those who have reviewed/followed/favourited. The positive response from you all has further fueled my creativity so keep it coming. You all inspire me.**

**********Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Five

"Ow!" Damon grabbed the back of his head where Stefan had just smacked him none too lightly. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"A football, Damon really? Could you be more immature?" Stefan said as he headed out of his room and towards the stairs.

"Yeah but what did you hit me for? _I _didn't throw that football." Damon replied as he followed his brother.

Stefan threw him a look over his shoulder at his words.

"Well…not _me _me," He amended. "Look that's beside the point, what are we supposed to do with Bonnie in the past huh, Stefan? How the hell are we going to get her back, and furthermore what possessed her to go back there anyway. We need her _here _not in 1864, she's no good to us there."

"I don't know Damon but do you suppose we could get a witch to bring her back?" Stefan turned to his brother as they stood in the foyer, his brows furrowed in concern.

Damon scoffed at his brother's naivety, "Of course we can, just one slight problem, where are we going to find a witch powerful enough to work that kind of mojo? Unless you have someone you can call in a few favors. I don't know about you but I've pretty much run through my quota of helpful witches."

Stefan shook his head.

"Didn't think so. Look she's in the past and at the moment there's nothing we can do about it, so let's focus on the other issue at hand. Katherine's somewhere out there with the cure and I'm not exactly thrilled about that."

"Yeah and to make matters worse, now Elena doesn't have her humanity." Stefan turned and entered the library. "We're gonna lose her Damon."

"She needs time Stefan." Damon rolled his eyes and walked towards his trusty bourbon sensing one of his brother's lectures coming on.

"Her humanity's off, she's basically numb to everything that makes her who she is."

"Yeah she's a vampire, off-switch is one of the biggest perks. Being undead gets you down," Damon snapped his fingers, "voila, vampire prozac."

"She burned down her family home with her brother's dead body still inside." Stefan willed his brother to understand the gravity of Elena's current situation, but in true Damon fashion, he shrugged it off.

"Saves us the trouble of having to do it ourselves. I call that a win." Damon took a swig of the sloshing amber liquid in his glass. Noticing his brothers concern deepening he sighed and set down the bourbon. "Worst case scenario I invoke the sire bond and tell her to turn it back on."

"No her brother just _died. _You force all that grief on her at once and it's going to overwhelm her. We need to give her a reason to _want _to turn it on."

Damon exhaled irritably his patience over the matter waning, "Fine we'll show her a good time." At his brother's derisive look he added, "I know it's controversial, Stefan, but people actually like to have fun."

"You really think that's gonna work?"

"Well only one way to find out."

* * *

Damon shook his head for what seemed like the hundredth time. Okay so taking Elena out to have some fun hadn't exactly panned out the way he'd hoped it would. Not that he actually thought it would work, but he needed the distraction. Ever since figuring out that Bonnie was in the past, he found himself growing steadily anxious and Damon Salvatore doesn't do anxious.

And Stefan had the _brilliant _idea of sending Elena off to school. He would have protested more if Blondie hadn't chimed in with her two cents and-truth be told-he simply didn't care enough to put his foot down. Besides since his hands were pretty much tied with the Bonnie situation, he'd rather be off tracking down his bitch of an ex-girlfriend, and he had to admit Elena wasn't as much fun to be around as he'd thought she'd be with her humanity off.

Now here he was on his way to interrogate a dying vampire. Klaus wasn't exactly forthcoming with information though he did manage to get something out of his visit. He only hoped this vampire hadn't yet bit the big one, it was annoying enough driving the next town over without knowing if he would get anything remotely concrete on Katherine's whereabouts.

Damon gripped the steering wheel tight as he felt a sharp pain in his head. These visions, flashbacks, _whatever,_ were becoming a real nuisance and considering he didn't have the timing of each vision down to an exact science, it could prove to be a serious handicap during a fight.

_Damned witch, what the hell was she thinking?_

There weren't many reasons Damon could think of that could have prompted Bonnie to do something as reckless and _stupid_ as going to the past, because she _wasn't _stupid. Bonnie was judgmental, obnoxious, and rude-especially to him-among other things, but she was far from an idiot. Sometimes Damon thought Bonnie was the only other intelligent person apart from himself in the Scooby gang. She had to have known that something like time travel is far too risky and unpredictable, yet everything about this reeked of desperation. The witch had to have been at her wits end to think going back was a viable solution. But Bonnie wasn't one to easily let desperation take over. She was always cognizant in her decision making and she was a quick thinker at that, particularly in perilous situations. The only thing he could think of that would make her desperate enough to attempt such a feat is Jeremy's death. After all the witch had a romance with him and Damon could spot unrequited feelings miles away enough to know that Bonnie still held a candle for the boy. She had always been rather irrational when it came to Elena and Jeremy, willing to lay down her life before the enemy if only to spare the Gilberts. He'd had a front row seat to her martyrdom when Klaus had shown up at the decade dance donning Alaric as his meat suit.

Damon broke out of his reverie as he parked in front of the hospital and willed himself to focus on the task at hand. That memory in particular wasn't one he was fond of conjuring.

As he stepped out of his car, he saw a blonde approaching him and groaned.

"Ugh, go away."

"Aw, didn't you miss me Damon?" Rebekah said smirking as she fell into step with him as he walked towards the entrance of Grove Hills Hospital.

"What are you doing here?" He asked resigning himself to Rebekah's presence.

"Well now that I'm off that island, no thanks to you, I'm look for the cure _obviously_."

Damon rolled his eyes at her tone.

"That still doesn't explain why you're following me, stalker."

"I'm not stupid Damon, I figured you'd be the one to go after Katherine and leave Stefan to deal with Elena's emotional state. So consider me your shadow, because I'm getting that cure for myself whether you Salvatore's like it or not."

Damon paused and smirked at Rebekah. "Why would I help you?"

"Because I was smart enough to bring a pinch of my brother's blood," Rebekah held out a small vial filled with crimson liquid, "how else would you interrogate a vampire who's practically dead from a wolf bite?"

Damon narrowed his eyes as Rebekah pocketed the blood.

"Fine. I'm guessing your dear brother told you about this vampire."

"Reluctantly so. Why exactly do you think a sick vampire would check in to a hospital." Rebekah said as they continued to walk down the hall past scurrying hospital employees.

"See a little bright thing in the sky? It's called the sun. He needs a blood bank plus the hospitals open 24/7 not to mention he's hungry and delusional."

Sure enough, they discovered the hospital's blood supply had been seriously depleted. Damon gave Rebekah a smug look.

"Impressive. You're like Sherlock Holmes with brain damage." She conceded.

"Stefan said the Mystic Falls Hospital had its entire blood bank raided too." Damon said the wheels in his head turning a mile a second.

"Looks like our vampire gets around."

"No, guys dying of a werewolf bite he wouldn't have time to steal from both hospitals. This is someone else."

"Who?"

"That's another problem." Damon shrugged. "But on the plus side, if our guy did by chance come here, he's got nothing which means he's nearby and he's hungry."

Damon began walking out of the room but Rebekah cut him off.

"Better not be a wild goose chase."

"I want to find Katherine as much as you do. I'm not one to pass up an opportunity to screw up her plans." He smirked as he walked around her and made his way out of the hospital, Rebekah hot on his trail.

* * *

"Well nobody could ever mistake you for subtle." Rebekah snarked as she watched Damon bite into the nurses neck.

"You have to take pride in your work."

Damon turned back to the whimpering woman and did his best to quiet her.

"It's okay, come here, come here." He captured her gaze and narrowed his eyes as he worked his compulsion on her. "Now I want you to walk very slowly to your car. Off you go."

The woman obediently headed down the parking lot as Damon turned to Rebekah who looked at him skeptically.

"You know I just don't see how this increases our odds any."

Damon was seriously getting sick of Rebekah's condescending attitude but nonetheless proceeded to explain.

"I've been on the other side of a wolf bite." He paused to wipe away the blood from his mouth. "First you get really sick and you get really hungry. The sun's going down I'm imagining he's going to look for his last supper. I just laid out a three course, 115 pound meal for him."

Just as they focused back on the nurse, a shadow staggered from the trees edging itself slowly towards the luring smell of blood.

Damon charged ahead and had the figure pinned against a tree in less then a second but he froze as he recognized the face of the vampire and heard a raspy, "Damon."

"Will?"

The vampire smiled tiredly at him.

"Hey buddy. I think there's something wrong with me." Will pulled at his collar displaying the gruesome bite at the base of his neck.

Damon winced at the sight of it. Klaus sure didn't do things half-assed.

"I need help."

Damon looked at Will with pity before straightening his face and patting his shoulder reassuringly, "It's okay, I know what to do."

In one swift and decisive move, he plunged his hand into Will's chest grasping onto his heart and tore it out, effectively ending the vampire's life.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?!" Rebekah yelled as she came up behind Damon.

"He was too far gone, I put him out of his misery." Damon began walking away but was stopped by Rebekah's words.

"He was our only lead to the cure, and you _killed _him before we could get it out of him. You don't want to find the cure, do you? If you find it and give it to Elena you'll just cure her back to loving your brother."

"Do you want me to spell it out for you, he had _nothing_, he was far too delirious for us to get _anything _out of him," Damon seethed.

"What about your witch? Can't she do a spell or something and tell us where Katherine is?" Rebekah asked.

Damon was caught off guard by her question and wasn't able to school his features fast enough to not give anything away to Rebekah.

She gave out an incredulous laugh.

"You never found her on that island did you?"

She continued not waiting for his reply knowing all too well by his stony features that her assumption was correct. "Huh, guess Silas found her after all."

"What do you mean Silas found her?" Damon's eyes bored holes into Rebekah as he waited with baited breath for her reply. He knew things were about to get a lot more complicated.

"Silas awoke and he was looking for a Bennett witch. Now correct me if I'm wrong but there aren't exactly a lot of those around so I can only assume he wants Bonnie."

Rebekah shuddered slightly at the memory of the glassy eyes and the raspy voice that belonged to Silas.

"And if you left that island without her then I can only assume that Silas found her."

_No_, Damon thought. _He hasn't found her. And he won't if I have anything to do about it._

* * *

Damon hightailed it back to Mystic Falls and once there wished he'd taken his time, maybe taken in the sights on the way. He knew Elena going to school was a stupid idea. Though he was relieved that the sire bond was broken, that plan still proved to be as useless as he'd told Caroline and Stefan it would be.

_Ah it feels good to be right._

Damon had pondered over whether or not to rub it in their faces, unsure if it was beneath him, but then, with a shrug of his shoulder, gave both Caroline and Stefan a long, drawn out "I told you so."

Stefan had walked out muttering something about checking up on Elena, leaving Caroline staring daggers at Damon who smirked back, refusing to drop his childish antics.

"So, Caroline, how was it? Getting your ass handed to you by a newbie vampire? Tsk tsk, gotta say I'm disappointed, thought you would have learned a few moves from me by now." Damon sat down, smirk still firmly in place.

"I'm going to ignore that barb because I'm more worried about something Stefan and you seem all too keen on avoiding."

"Ooh sounds juicy, _do_ tell."

Caroline was incensed at how cavalier Stefan and Damon seemed to be about Bonnie's disappearance. Elena had seemed so sure that Bonnie could fix things and bring Jeremy back, and though Caroline herself was skeptical on that front, she _needed _her friend back. There was no telling what fate could have befallen Bonnie on that island. She hadn't been there, but from what she had gathered from Stefan, that place was as creepy and as fraught with peril as one could imagine, and the thought of Bonnie stuck there, _by herself_ no less, worried her to no end. It didn't help matters at all that Elena was acting extremely like her doppelganger from hell, and-she'd be loathe to admit-it did bruise her ego plenty that she was so easily taken down by her.

"What happened on that island Damon? Stefan said you had stayed behind to bring back Bonnie, and then you just show up without her?" Caroline was now standing in front of Damon, hands resting on her hips, her gaze searching his.

Damon sighed, he _really _didn't want to deal with Caroline. He himself had stuff to do where Bonnie was concerned, and was too preoccupied with Katherine and the cure, so much so he hadn't thought of how exactly Stefan and him were to get bloodhound Caroline off the Bonnie scent. It wouldn't do to have Bonnie's exact whereabouts become public knowledge.

"Did you talk to Stefan about this _enthralling_ topic? If you haven't noticed, I'm busy tracking down the cure."

"Don't! Don't do you're usual _I-don't-care _routine! You need Bonnie as much as the rest of us do. We _all _need Bonnie. Hell, we wouldn't be _alive _if it weren't for Bonnie so don't you _dare _brush her off like that. We _need _to find Bonnie! We can't just leave her in that godforsaken island! I mean wha-what could've happened to her? Why aren't you or Stefan on your way back, or are you going to leave soon? You know what I'm coming with, there is _no way_ I'm staying here while Bonnie's over there _suffering_ or worse. I can't. I know, I'll go pack. What do I need to pack? Camping gear? I mean who knows how long we're going to be on that island because this time we are _not _leaving without her-"

"Caroline! Did. You talk. To Stefan. About this?" Damon interrupted her tirade, she looked ready to explode and he didn't feel like picking out bits of Caroline from his favorite rug.

"I did," Caroline replied mutedly, having realized she'd gotten a bit ahead of herself with her rant. "He said I shouldn't worry-ridiculous really as if I _couldn't_ worry, it's _Bonnie_ for crying out loud-"

"Caroline!"

"Right, sorry, Stefan said, and I quote: 'Damon's on it, but if you want details, you'll have to talk to him.'" She looked at him expectantly.

Damon's jaw clenched and unclenched. _I'm going to kill him. Ah Stefan, you coward._

He pinched the bridge of his nose, he felt a headache coming on. Caroline could be such a _pain. _Yet he knew she had to be dealt with lest she start poking around looking for answers in places she shouldn't be looking. Caroline could prove to be incredibly stubborn when it came to Bonnie.

"Look, Caroline I _know _it's killing you not being in the know, but I'm afraid I'm going to be just as tight-lipped as Stefan on the matter. You're just going to have to trust when I say I got this covered."

"But this is _Bonnie_-!"

Damon sped mere inches in front of Caroline, his face livid.

"Yes, Caroline I _know _it's Bonnie! I know how _important _it is we find her. But you need to back off before I snap your neck. _I'm _getting Bonnie back, and I need _you_ to stay out of my way_._"

Damon walked out, leaving Caroline in stunned silence.

* * *

"Come on Damon pick up the phone." Stefan whispered to himself.

He picked up on the fourth ring.

_"Hey."_

"Where the hell are you?"

_"Out for a drive I need some space. It's not me it's you." _

Stefan could hear Damon smirking through the phone and frowned.

"Well we got a little problem. You said blood was stolen from Grove Hills Hospital. Sherriff said there's been reports of six other blood bank thefts all within 30 miles of Mystic Falls. Somebody's stock piling blood. Wasn't Elena, it's not us…"

* * *

"Okay so…" Damon already had a feeling of what Stefan was getting at. There was no way Silas found Bonnie seeing as how she was taking a trip down memory lane, literally, so it only made sense that he'd come looking for her to Mystic Falls.

_"I think Silas followed us back from that island. He hasn't fed in two thousand years so he would need to gorge on blood, explains the thefts."_

Damon grimaced slightly but said, "You know I'm really not in the mood to Scooby Doo our way through the case of the stolen blood supply. Why don't you hold the fort down till I get back and I'll be in touch brother."

He quickly hung up on Stefan knowing he was going to be pissed at him for doing that. It was only a matter of time before Stefan put two and two together and figured out that Silas was looking for Bonnie and before that happened he had some questions that could only be answered in New York. Not too mention the next clue for finding Katherine was awaiting him there as well. So he figured he'd kill two birds with one stone.

Damon looked across at Elena who was staring out the passenger window watching the scenery go by.

_Or perhaps three. _Damon thought as Elena looked at him and smiled.


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N: Please excuse the delay, this chapter was supposed to be up on Monday but I got sidetracked. **

******Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Six

"Stefan, I am truly fine. There is no need to get Emily." Bonnie tried to convince Stefan. "I feel completely fine! The ball didn't hit me that hard. Besides Emily is surely tending to Miss Katherine, I wouldn't want to take her away from her duties."

"Bonnie, I'm sure Miss Katherine will survive without her handmaid. Your injury should take precedent, and I think it best to ensure your fall hasn't reopened your wound." Stefan stated in a tone that left no room for argument. Then he smiled before proceeding, "Besides, Miss Katherine was the one to suggest Miss Emily help out with your injury."

Bonnie balked at this, but then figured Katherine had only been nice to further her charade, after all she was a guest in the Salvatore home, she had appearances to keep up.

She turned to Stefan and sighed in defeat. He was persistent and she could see little success in dissuading him, and thus figured it best to agree. Though she dreaded being alone with Emily for too long. She had taken to questioning her endlessly on the particulars of the spell that had brought her here. She had feigned memory loss due to the traumatic wound she had acquired, but figured that excuse wouldn't hold up for long. Perhaps it would have been best to come clean the first time around but something told Bonnie that Emily wouldn't be thrilled to find out she had been dabbling in Expression. Emily was already suspicious enough about her motives for coming back and Bonnie _was _feeling tired and, though the wound was almost completely healed, there was still the occasional throb of pain so Bonnie thought she'd hold off on the inquisition as long as she could.

"Fine, Stefan. If it will make you feel better, I will see Emily." Bonnie conceded halfheartedly.

"Thank you," Stefan smiled. He was pleased he could convince her. He didn't know much about the girl but could tell she liked to do things on her own and take care of herself, a quality few women possessed, and was grateful that she had conceded to being looked after. "Bonnie, I hope you can forgive Damon, I do not know why he acted in such an untoward manner. He is usually very conscientious, I assure you he meant no disrespect."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at his pleading tone. If anyone should be apologizing, it was Damon. However she didn't see that happening anytime soon. Human Damon-much like the vampire Damon of her own time-didn't seem like the apologizing type.

Noticing Bonnie's skeptical look at his words he hurried to defend his brother.

"I know your first impression of him must tell you otherwise but Damon is actually very nice." He smiled.

_ Yeah maybe he's nice to _you, Bonnie thought. But then she noticed Stefan's smile and the way it reached his eyes. She was taken aback by the look of utter happiness the thought of his brother brought Stefan. She was a bit baffled by this carefree Stefan. The Stefan she knew was anything but. He was always brooding and moping about, his brows perpetually furrowed. Yet here he was, smiling and laughing to himself, no doubt recalling memories of his brother. It was strange to see him like this and to know that Damon was the cause of his lightheartedness. Stefan seemed to only hold disdain for Damon in her future, though she never doubted for a second that he loved his brother. Anyone could see that for as much bad blood as there was between the Salvatores, their love for one another was not one to be trifled with, though Elena certainly did her share of trifling. But Bonnie knew that just because you loved someone it didn't mean you had to _like _them. But Stefan did, he _genuinely _liked Damon and it puzzled Bonnie. She herself didn't find anything likable about human Damon. Vampire Damon was a massive dick, but he had been less horrible then usual, though she could probably chalk it up to him being distracted by Elena and the sire bond. Still she couldn't deny he had a good sense of humour. And he was smart. _Nothing _went unnoticed by him, every minute detail was catalogued in that brain of his. Something she always found handy when the both of them were strategizing, planning their next move against the enemy. But _this_ Damon was smart too, he'd noticed her slip with her name earlier this morning and he had a calculating gaze when the football hit her in the face. She had to be more careful, it would not do to have Damon on her case. Still she was intrigued with Damon and Stefan's relationship, it was..._endearing, _in an odd way, seeing them act so familial with each other. They were _brothers _in every sense of the word. Bonnie could appreciate that. She herself didn't have much of a family but the Salvatore's had a family in each other and if she could figure out a way to stop Katherine from coming between them whilst ensuring that Stefan and Damon didn't become vampires, she could salvage the bond they shared. Bonnie nodded to herself, yes, the Salvatores of her time may be irredeemable but this Stefan and Damon could still be saved.

* * *

Damon took off in the direction he had last seen Miss Emily and Miss Katherine. He was hoping she was still around because having to look for her throughout the entire estate would be tedious, especially because it was for Miss Be-Everett.

He sighed frustratingly. The only reason he had taken up the arduous task was because his little brother had been the one to ask him-albeit a bit rudely-but Damon could not deny Stefan anything. Still, something about the girl bothered him, he knew for certain she did something to the ball. He knew he saw something, a movement of her hand, a flick of the wrist, and next thing he knew the tip of the football had gotten her right between the eyes. There was no way he had imagined it. He saw it clear as day, though it was fast, the movement wasn't fast enough for his eyes to miss. Bonnie Be-Everett was an enigma and Damon was more then determined to solve it. Coming around a corner, Damon skidded to a stop, cursing his misfortune.

Giuseppe Salvatore had been making his way to the dining room when the sound of heavy footfalls made him glance back only to come upon his eldest son, looking disheveled and less then presentable.

"Damon what are you doing running around the place. This conduct is most unbecoming of you." Giuseppe glared at his son, his contempt for him etched in his voice.

Resigning himself to his fate, Damon moved to explain but his father cut him off.

"Wait, you were not due to be back till the morrow, what are you…" Giuseppe trailed off and his countenance became suddenly furious.

"Did you run off, boy? Did you desert the Confederacy? I will have no son of mine branded a deserter!"

Damon winced, he knew his father had a low opinion of him but to think he would do such a thing? It hurt and though he hid it well, Giuseppe was slightly mollified by the quick flash of pain he saw in Damon's eyes.

"Father I am truly sorry for my behaviour, but you see I am looking for Miss Emily-"

"I do not wish to hear your excuses Damon, I will not tolerate you behaving in such a manner."

Damon bristled at his fathers words but remembered he had promised himself to avoid arguing with his father during his brief visit and clenched and unclenched his jaw, hoping to release some of his anger.

"I am not making excuses Sir, I am merely explaining my situation. You are correct it is not proper behaviour. But if you will excuse me, it is imperative I locate Miss Emily, someone is hurt and she can help." Damon hoped his words would get him out of there quickly.

* * *

Stefan and Bonnie were making their way to her newly assigned room to wait for Emily, when Stefan caught a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye.

"Miss Emily!" Stefan called for her.

Emily turned and walked towards the pair, a look of confusion on her face.

"I am glad we found you," Stefan began, "Bonnie here was hit by a ball in the head and I was hoping you would take a look at her wound and ensure the fall did not cause any damage. She was a little slow in getting her bearings together."

"Of course Mister Stefan," Emily nodded her acquiescence. "I was due to check her wound anyhow."

Emily took a hold of Bonnie and frowned slightly as she noticed Stefan's reluctance at letting her go, but did so after Emily tugged a couple of times, the second a particularly violent tug that made Bonnie wince. He began to follow after them when they started for Bonnie's room. Bonnie on her part, did not mind Stefan tagging along, the more the merrier, she figured Emily wouldn't question her in front of him. However Emily seemed to have other ideas. She came to an abrupt stop and Stefan narrowly missed bumping into them.

"Mister Stefan, I know you are worried but I will take it from here," Emily smiled at Stefan as Bonnie looked on in amusement wondering how the scene would play out. Sensing Stefan's hesitance Emily added, "I'm afraid she will be indisposed when I check her wound."

Emily hoped Stefan would get the hint, to her dismay he did not.

"Why not? I can help!" Stefan said enthusiastically, he was not one to be timid around blood.

Bonnie could barely hold in her laughter, Emily looked about ready to face palm, instead she took a deep breath before saying, "Yes Mister Stefan, I am sure you can help, however Bonnie will not be _decent _when I inspect her injury, given the location of it."

Stefan gave a barely audible "Oh!" and looked down at his feet to avoid them noticing his blush. However, Bonnie caught the pink in his ears. "I….um…understand. But please do let me know how she is as quickly as possible." With that said, Stefan left in search of Damon.

* * *

Stefan found Damon getting lectured by their Father. He groaned, why couldn't they get along?

"Father, good morning," Stefan promptly stepped in hoping to defuse the situation.

"Good Morning Stefan," Giuseppe smiled at his youngest, making Damon roll his eyes. Yes, Damon loved his little brother and would do anything for him but seeing Giuseppe's obvious favoritism was beyond frustrating. Damon could never hope to garner a smile from his father because in his eyes, he was a constant disappointment.

"Were you aware of your brother's early arrival?" Giuseppe asked Stefan, choosing to disregard Damon's eye roll.

"Yes, Sir. He surprised me this morning." Stefan smiled fondly at his father and at Damon.

"You knew, and yet neglected to inform me straight away?" Giuseppe inquired angrily.

"I…um…" Stefan was at a loss for words. It was not often that his father's ire was directed at him.

"I asked him not to Father, I knew you would be busy and wished not to disturb you. Also I had hoped to spend some time with my little brother," Damon interjected. He could be frustrated and downright angry that Stefan got the better treatment from Giuseppe but he could not have him yell at Stefan when Damon alone was entirely at fault. After all he had been the one to stall, hoping he could avoid Giuseppe for at least a day.

"It did not matter that I was busy, I should have been informed of your arrival as soon as possible," Giuseppe was still furious at Damon. His son seemed to believe he could do what he pleased but he was sorely mistaken. "And you have yet to explain why you are here a day early."

Damon cleared his throat, "Well, Father, I wanted to surprise Stefan. And I assure you I did not run off. My commander granted permission for an early leave. As a matter a fact a few other men from my battalion were granted the same privilege as myself."

Giuseppe frowned, "Well, next time I want to know you are here as soon as you arrive. I do not care for surprises. Now come both of you, I wish to introduce you to our guest, Miss Pierce."

Damon sighed in relief, and eagerly followed, enthusiastic about seeing Miss Katherine again. Stefan, on the other hand, walked behind absentmindedly wondering if Bonnie was doing alright.

* * *

"There. You are all set. That Mister Stefan made a fuss about nothing. Your wound is perfectly fine." Emily tugged down Bonnie's clothes as she huffed, her distaste for the younger Salvatore evident. "I advise you keep away from the Salvatores, Bonnie, all three of them. Especially Stefan, his attention towards you is worrisome. We don't want you drawing anymore attention to yourself than you already have."

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she sat down on the lumpy bed that was provided for her in the small room, no bigger then her pantry back home.

"Stefan is completely harmless Emily, it's Damon we should look out for." This last part, Bonnie had muttered to herself, but Emily had caught it nonetheless.

"Why?" Emily asked, the alarm clear in her voice.

"Oh uh…" Bonnie shifted uneasily, fishing her mind for an excuse, "He just seems a lot more observant than Stefan."

Bonnie sighed as she saw Emily mull over her words before accepting them with a nod.

Emily took a seat next to Bonnie and looked at her for a moment. Bonnie squirmed a little under her gaze knowing she was about to get questioned.

"I know you are keeping something from me Bonnie. You told me you performed the spell because something happened that you hoped to change, and you didn't intend to come this far back. Yet I still don't know exactly what it is that occurred for you to take such drastic measures. Still under no circumstance should you have done this. Bonnie, what is meant to happen will always happen. Fate makes sure of it. Though we may take different roads, our final destination is always the same, and there is no changing that."

Emily sighed tiredly, sensing Bonnie was not willing to tell her anything as of yet. She got up and made for the door but was stopped at Bonnie's words.

"But…what if something that wasn't supposed to happen does? What then?" The desperation and pain in Bonnie's voice was such that Emily returned to her former spot and placed an arm around her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"Bonnie there is no possible way we could know whether what happened was meant to happen, the future is never ours to know, but we must take comfort in knowing that Fate will intervene in such cases where this occurs. Bonnie, we witches are meant to keep the balance, not distort it. And you coming to this time could cause any number of changes that are not meant to come to pass. I am truly sorry for what happened Bonnie but you had no business trying to change it. We are not the keepers of time we are keepers of the balance of nature. We have no business meddling with Fate."

Bonnie nodded, she understood but she refused to believe that Jeremy, Jenna, Alaric, Vicky, and her Grams were destined to such untimely deaths. Surely Fate couldn't be so cruel. All this suffering and pain, this _wasn't _normal, this wasn't supposed to happen. Bonnie gasped as she felt Emily wiping away a few stray tears. She hadn't realized she'd been crying.

"I'm sorry Bonnie. I know I have done nothing but lecture you and chastise you since you've been here. I've been so worried about the consequences of your actions that I hadn't realize you've been hurting. Coming here…" Emily hesitated a bit, seeming to look for the right words. "Coming here was both very brave and yet incredibly foolish of you."

Bonnie laughed slightly as a few more tears escaped.

Emily smiled, "I have no doubt that your intentions were nothing but noble. But you must understand I cannot help you get back to your time until I know _everything_ about the circumstances under which you performed the spell. _Every _detail Bonnie. We cannot afford any mistakes lest I send you somewhere you do not belong, somewhere where no one will be able to help you. You are indeed fortunate to have been brought here, with me. There is no telling what other time you could have been stranded in."

Emily stood once more ready to leave, "I understand you may need some time to come to terms with what happened so I won't push you any further for answers. I will wait till you are ready. Just…just promise me you won't take too long. I really am worried about your future Bonnie."

Bonnie nodded but this wasn't enough for Emily.

"Bonnie _promise _me."

Bonnie looked at her ancestor, so young and yet so wise, her face etched in worry.

"I promise."

Emily left her then, content with her answer for the moment and trusting her implicitly to keep that promise. Emily let her take the day off but warned her to keep to her room or the grounds and not to wander off in the manor, lest she bump into one of the Salvatores or Katherine.

Bonnie laid down on the bed, hoping to find comfort in a nap. The day before and this morning had been emotionally taxing. And the blood loss from her wound was affecting her equilibrium, she found it hard to believe that a football alone could send her toppling to the ground so easily, regardless of her small frame. She thought about Emily's words and she knew she was right. She had to come clean if she hoped to go back home one day. Bonnie needed out of 1864, she couldn't do the attire and could definitely not do the whole slave/servant thing. So Bonnie resolved to tell Emily everything about her Expression, but she would do it in her own time and on her own terms. As for not meddling with the past, well Bonnie had a few bones to pick with Fate and she refused to sit still and just let things play out the way they had the first time around. She was determined to prevent Katherine from escaping her fate in the tomb with the other vampires and she was hell bent on keeping the Salvatores human. Nothing was going to stop her not even Fate for Bonnie Bennett was a force to contend with all on her own.


	8. Chapter Seven

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed/followed/favourited this story. I'm glad you all are enjoying it thus far.**

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Seven

One week. One _hellacious _week. That's how long it's been since Bonnie first showed up in 1864. And for this entire week, she's had to put up with _Damon Salvatore._ Bonnie hadn't found Damon this infuriating since he had first shown up in Mystic Falls and had 'dated' Caroline. It was beyond ridiculous. Wasn't a human Damon supposed to be a hundred times more bearable then vampire Damon? His eyes followed her, always waiting for her to make one wrong move, anything to fuel his suspicions. Though Bonnie wasn't sure exactly what it was Damon suspected her of.

The only times Bonnie could find reprieve from Damon's heavy glare was when Katherine was around. The vampire demanded of him all his attention whenever she was in the vicinity. Try as she might, Bonnie couldn't help but pity Damon. Already Katherine was digging her claws-fangs?-into him. Bonnie had to hand it to her, the girl sure did move fast. In fact, it seemed Damon was already halfway besotted with her.

Stefan, on the other hand, was nothing but amicable towards Katherine. All smiles and chivalry, but none of the devotion that Damon so eagerly offered her. Something Bonnie noticed that frustrated Katherine. It was clear she wanted both brother's doting on her, indulging her every whim. But Stefan's attentions were equally divided between Katherine, Damon, and herself. In fact, Stefan seemed entirely clueless to the game Katherine was trying to rope him into playing.

Though Bonnie had vowed to keep Katherine from coming between the brothers, she had found there was little she could do as of yet. But she took it upon herself to observe the three of them, to watch Katherine, assess the situation before formulating a plan. It seemed the best way to tackle what she had dubbed "Operation: Free the Salvatores from the Clutches of Katherine the Bitch Extraordinaire". It was a mouthful, but Bonnie figured she'd come up with a shorter name later.

So Bonnie had, for the most part, kept herself busy. She'd come to the conclusion that this time travel business was too unpredictable and though she had originally hoped to go back to the beginning of junior year, just before the arrival of the Salvatores in Mystic Falls, she'd decided that the next time she performed the spell, it would be to travel to her own time. That meant she had to figure out how to change things in 1864 so much so that she could prevent the Salvatores from showing up. And Katherine of course had to be dealt with. The first time around she'd evaded her fate in the tomb, but this time Bonnie would make sure she rotted in there along with all the other vampires.

Emily had backed off just as she said she would but seemed intent on running Bonnie ragged. She had her doing errands and chores all over the Salvatore estate. Bonnie wasn't happy about this, though she understood she had to keep busy, keep her head down, and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to herself. Something Bonnie felt she had been doing a good job of.

On her third day, Emily had dragged her towards the dining room where she was to help her and a few other girls serve breakfast. She huffed at this, she didn't like the idea of waiting on Katherine and the Salvatores. Something she expressed to Emily who gave her a harsh look and said, "You should have thought about that before deciding to come to the past."

Bonnie stood off to the side with Emily as she watched Katherine, Giuseppe, and Stefan eat while holding-in Bonnie's opinion-an incredibly dull conversation. Stefan turned her way and smiled at her kindly and she returned it. Emily elbowed her and threw her a glare as she slowly shook her head. She was still uneasy with the youngest Salvatore and the attention he had for Bonnie. But Bonnie didn't care, Stefan had always been her friend and it felt nice to have that in this time as well.

Everyone's attention was drawn towards the door as Damon stepped into the room.

"Damon, have you finally decided to join us this morning?" Giuseppe asked with a hard voice. Damon said nothing to this but his features darkened slightly and he cast his eyes towards the ground for a split second as he took his seat next to Katherine. He bid them all "Good mornings" before digging into his breakfast, ignoring the sharp stare Giuseppe sent his way.

"So, Miss Katherine, how are you enjoying your stay so far in Mystic Falls?" Stefan asked, effectively slicing through the tension between his brother and father.

Katherine smiled demurely, pleased that she had Stefan's attention for the moment. "It is quite different to what I am accustomed to. This town is so small compared to Atlanta…" here Katherine trailed off, a melancholy look on her face.

"Miss Katherine, forgive my brother if he has brought forth any unpleasant memories." Damon took Katherine's hand in his own to offer solace, while Stefan frowned irritably. He hadn't meant to bring about 'unpleasant memories' for Miss Katherine he had merely hoped to avoid any forthcoming argument between his brother and Giuseppe.

"It's quite alright, I'm sure Stefan meant no harm." Katherine slipped her hand out of Damon's as she continued, "I miss my family terribly still, but I am most grateful to you Mister Salvatore, for offering me shelter in your home."

Bonnie snickered at this. The story was Katherine had been orphaned during the Atlanta fire, and she played the part well. Poor, defenseless, destitute Katherine, of course Giuseppe took pity on her. It was all so ridiculous. Damon turned to Bonnie and saw her rolling her eyes as Katherine sniffed slightly. He threw her a glare and Bonnie merely smirked at him, refusing to back down. Damon rolled his eyes as well and turned his attention back to Katherine, face etched in deep concern. It was laughable how Damon seemed to want to play protector for a centuries old vampire.

"You are most welcome Miss Pierce. This is your home for as long as you need it to be." Giuseppe gave her a reassuring smile.

Just then a servant walked in with a note in his hand.

"Master Salvatore, this has arrived for you."

Giuseppe took the paper and read it, his expression blank.

"I must excuse myself business calls."

Once Giuseppe left the room, Damon turned to Miss Katherine with a playful smirk on his face.

"Miss Katherine, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me for a walk in town today." Damon winked at Stefan who shook his head. His brother never ceased to amaze him, always so forward with women.

"That sounds lovely Damon, however I was under the impression Giuseppe wanted you here today." Katherine smirked all the while as she said this.

Damon frowned, "Well I-"

"I'm sure Stefan wouldn't mind taking me though." Katherine's smile grew wide as she looked to Stefan.

"I, um…" Stefan had a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look as he turned from Damon to Katherine unsure of what the proper response would be.

"It's settled then, Stefan and I will go into town." Katherine smiled contentedly. She then turned to Bonnie and simply said, "Drink."

Bonnie ground her teeth as she turned to Emily who merely nodded as if to say "do as you're told". She grabbed the milk and went to pour it. She moved her hand slightly to the right and with a mischievous glint in her eye, Bonnie poured a substantial amount of the white liquid onto Katherine's lap.

"What are you doing?!" Katherine jumped up from her seat and glared at her. For a second there Bonnie thought she saw her fangs extend and her eyes turn blood red.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! My hand slipped!" Bonnie threw excuses at Katherine hoping to placate her. It wasn't smart of her to antagonize Katherine like this, but she figured she wouldn't attack her, not in front of the Salvatores. It didn't sit right with her, what Katherine did to both Stefan and Damon. She had seen how Damon's face fell as soon as Katherine all but strong-armed Stefan into going with her instead of him. She had seen how uncomfortable Stefan had gotten as well. So Bonnie figured she'd do this just to spite her.

"I'm sure Miss Bonnie didn't mean to, Miss Katherine, it was an honest mistake." Stefan told Katherine who was now wiping furiously at the skirt of her dress with a napkin.

Bonnie turned to him as he covered his smile with his hand and then looked to Damon who-to her surprise-was also hiding a smile. Bonnie couldn't help but feel a little proud at having garnered such a reaction from him.

"It's alright," Katherine begrudgingly said, "I'm going to freshen myself up, then Stefan and I can head off to town." She threw Bonnie one last glare before heading off with Emily in tow.

Emily had not been pleased with Bonnie and had banned her from the dining room altogether. Bonnie was extremely happy about this since she saw a lot less of Katherine now because of it.

After the incident Bonnie had hoped Damon would back off a bit but no, he seemed to watch her more now than ever. It didn't help at all that her magic seemed to be on the fritz. The other day she had accidentally made a tomato explode in the kitchen. Luckily Damon was not there to witness it and Emily had been off with Katherine somewhere. It made her nervous though, that things were all of a sudden exploding around her. It scared her to think that her Expression was growing increasingly unstable as the days went by. If anyone got wind of what she was, they'd surely burn her at the stake.

But Bonnie found comfort in her planning, and it was now clearer then ever what she had to do. She had to a) ensure Katherine remained in the tomb at all costs and b) make sure the Salvatores _didn't_ become vampires. This last one Bonnie was a bit apprehensive about. If she succeeded in keeping Damon and Stefan human, then no one back in her time will ever meet them. Elena would not fall in love with Stefan and Damon would not be around to wreak havoc in Mystic Falls. But Bonnie figured Elena couldn't miss what she never had, and Stefan and Damon would simply go down in history as Giuseppe Salvatore's sons who both married, had children, and then died of old age. Bonnie frowned at this, it seemed so simple, and somewhat…sad. She shook her head, it wouldn't matter once it was all done. _You can't miss what you never had, _Bonnie thought again hoping to reassure herself.

But Bonnie absolutely _hated _being stuck in 1864. The dresses were itchy, the food, well the food wasn't too bad, but everything else was horrible. She was stuck on the Salvatore Estate for an indeterminable amount of time and she felt she was slowly going insane. She didn't even have a book to keep her mind occupied.

But at the end of every exhausting day, Stefan visited Bonnie. Always inquiring about her wound and the occurrences of the day. He was incredibly nice and patient with Bonnie whenever she slipped and said something that Stefan found scandalous or quite confusing. For this reason Bonnie was comfortable speaking with him, he always brushed aside her slip ups, never questioning them and just adding them to her numerous peculiarities.

"You don't like my brother, do you Bonnie."

Bonnie and Stefan were sitting cross-legged on the grass, their backs against the wall of the building where Bonnie and Emily's rooms were located, as they stared off into the field where the sun was slowly setting on the horizon. Stefan had asked his usual questions and they had sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

But Bonnie was startled at his question. Yes, she didn't do her utmost to hide her obvious contempt for Damon but she hadn't thought she'd been that obvious. She sighed, deciding she wouldn't lie to Stefan.

"No I don't."

"Why?" Stefan asked truly confounded. He couldn't fathom why someone would find his brother as detestable as Bonnie appeared to.

"Well Stefan, he didn't take an immediate liking to me either," Bonnie frowned. "In fact, he doesn't like me at all. _And _he threw a football at me, I mean who does that?"

"He apologized for that."

"He did not! You did, _you _apologized for him." Bonnie accused.

"Hmm I suppose I did," Stefan conceded. "But Damon does not dislike you Bonnie. You are different, you are intriguing, and I daresay he finds you quite puzzling, almost as much as I do." Stefan smiled as he said this.

"Well I'm glad you two find me so _amusing._" Bonnie chuckled. She could see why they'd be confused by her strange 21st century ways.

"Why does it bother you that I don't like your brother Stefan?" Bonnie asked, truly curious as to the workings of his mind.

"He's my brother Bonnie, and well I am aware he is imperfect-we all are in a sense-but I love him and to me he is without flaws. I guess I just fail to see how anyone could find any fault in Damon when I look up to him and admire him."

Bonnie was quiet for a moment, taking in Stefan's words. Not for the first time she marveled at how much more different Damon and Stefan's relationship was in the present. It saddened her, the extent to which Katherine had damaged the both of them.

Turning back to Stefan, she noticed that her less than favorable words toward Damon were bothering him and she sighed in defeat.

"It's not that I don't like Damon…"

Stefan raised an eyebrow at her as if to challenge her statement.

"I mean he's not my favorite person," Bonnie amended. "But I don't _hate _him. I simply find him a bit infuriating."

Stefan opened his mouth to protest but Bonnie put up her hand to silence him.

"I know it bothers you for _whatever _reason that I do not like your brother as much as you do but…" Bonnie paused slightly looking for the proper words to mollify his discontent. "I will make an honest effort to get to know Damon and perhaps, in time, form a better opinion of him."

Stefan smiled pleased by this, "Well most say my brother is an acquired taste, so yes, in time, you will grow as fond of him as I am."

Bonnie smiled back. She wasn't sure if she would ever grow _fond _of Damon. He was a nuisance, both in this time and her own, though his snark did provide much needed entertainment whenever she found herself at the boarding house with the rest of the gang tackling whatever problem had arisen. On one occasion, Bonnie pondered whether Damon merely did so for her benefit, after all their petty arguments did provide a release from the severity of whatever current peril they were hoping to avoid. But Bonnie had dismissed the thought; to grow fond of Damon would be like growing fond of a venomous snake and wanting to keep it as a pet knowing full well it could disregard its docile nature at a moments notice and strike.

"It's getting dark," Stefan looked to the sun as it finally set and stood up. "Goodnight Bonnie."

Bonnie stood as well, "Goodnight Stefan."

* * *

Damon was looking for his brother in the twilight. For two days now he'd gone looking for him at this exact time, and had been unsuccessful in finding him. He had a nagging suspicion that he was off with Miss Be-Everett. Though he knew not what business Stefan could possibly have with her. He had thought perhaps Stefan wanted to inquire about her wound, but she had been up and about since the day Damon first saw her. Clearly her wound was not a great hindrance.

After the football incident, Damon had found nothing else suspicious about Miss Be-Everett. Peculiar? Yes. Everything about her was peculiar, but he had found nothing substantial to add to his small list of red flags. All he had to base his suspicions off of was a barely there flick of her wrist and a football mysteriously changing it's trajectory. On one occasion Damon thought perhaps he _had _imagined it, or perhaps the movement of her hand was purely coincidental. But Damon knew what he saw and he refused to doubt his own eyes.

But there was something else. Miss Bonnie Be-Everett didn't like Miss Katherine _at all_. In fact, Damon would go so far as to say that she _hated_ her. When she deliberately dumped half of the milk on Katherine's lap, Damon could see not one iota of remorse in Miss Be-Everett. Sure, it was amusing, and Damon found it hard to feel sorry for Katherine after she had so blatantly rejected him, but he wondered for whose benefit she had done it? It was clear she wanted to spite Katherine, but why do it? Why incur the wrath of someone she didn't know? Someone who surely could have never done anything to her? It was clear Miss Katherine knew nothing of Miss Be-Everett other than she claimed to be Miss Emily's kin.

Damon stopped his musings as he spotted Stefan walking off from the slave quarters. He walked around and hid in the shadows of the building as his brother made his way slowly back to the house. Damon was now absolutely positive that he had come to see Miss Be-Everett. She should be somewhere around here.

Sure enough Bonnie turned the corner and unknowingly walked towards Damon. Damon, who was feeling bold, decided to confront her.

"Hello _Miss Be-Everett._"

He smirked in satisfaction as Bonnie jumped, startled by his sudden appearance. She composed herself quickly and set her steely gaze on him.

"It's _Everett_." She said through gritted teeth.

"Be-Everett, Everett, same thing," Damon shrugged, not in the least bit bothered by Bonnie's anger. "Out for a stroll were we?"

"No, but you clearly are." Bonnie sighed, she was tired and sleepy and so not in the mood to hash it out with Damon right now. "What do you want Damon?"

"It's Mister Salvatore to you." Damon said, enjoying himself immensely at Bonnie's expense.

"I'll call you that when you start calling me Miss Everett." Bonnie crossed her arms in front of her, staring Damon down.

"Fair enough, _Be-Everett_."

"What. Do. You. Want." Bonnie had to keep reminding herself that Damon was human. And she _mustn't _give Damon an aneurysm, no matter how irritating he was being.

"Oh nothing, I just thought it would be a good idea to lay out all our cards on the table." Damon was now leaning against the wall and looking at his finger nails absentmindedly.

"What?" Bonnie was confused, she could never follow Damon's train of thought.

"I just thought I'd point a few things out, to get them out of the way so we can move on to more…_important _matters."

Bonnie shook her head, "Whatever, just say what you want to say and go on your merry way back to Miss Katherine or whoever."

"Fine. I don't like you and I don't trust you."

Bonnie snorted. Hadn't Stefan been telling her otherwise? Maybe she should ask Damon if she could get that in writing, with his signature and notarized to show Stefan her proof.

"I figured as much and while we're on the topic, I don't like you either. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to bed."

"Not so fast," Damon blocked Bonnie now standing directly in front of her. "What's going on between you and Stefan?"

"Excuse me?" Bonnie shook her head. Damon could not be serious right now. This had to be a joke. "What are you insinuating?"

"Well, frankly, I find your meetings in the dark with my brother quite indecent. You two have no business sneaking about."

"Wait, are you…are you _judging_ me?" Bonnie asked incredulously. "You are! Aren't you? You're _judging _me! This is unbelievable. Damon Salvatore of all people judging _me!"_

_ "_I am not judging, I'm merely pointing out an observation, one that-if you're not careful-others will begin questioning. I think it in your best interest to steer clear of Stefan."

"Oh well how _considerate _of you to have my interests at heart." Bonnie said derisively. She could not believe the audacity of him, to insinuate such a thing. "If you're so curious, why don't you ask Stefan? 'Cause I sure as hell am not going to tolerate you accusing me of such a thing!"

Damon stopped short, shocked at her anger and her language. This woman had no filter. He shook his head. "Fine, I will ask him but I still think you should stay away from him."

Bonnie rubbed her face with her hand, already tired with this conversation. "Look just talk to Stefan. I tell him I'm perfectly fine and there's no need for him to worry about me, my wound is nearly completely healed. He's the one who insists on checking up on me, and it's not like I can command him to stop looking for me. So really if you're so _concerned _you need to take it up with him, _not me._"

Damon nodded, perhaps he _should _talk to Stefan, just to be thorough. Bonnie walked around him but Damon stopped her once more.

"You don't like Katherine, do you?"

_Are you kidding me? _Bonnie almost cried out. At this point all she wanted to do was lock herself in her room and do her best to fall asleep on that lumpy bed of hers. Bonnie made no effort in hiding her hatred for the vampire and she wasn't going to start now. There was no point, Damon had already caught on to it and she was too tired to even try.

"No I don't."

"Why?"

Bonnie stopped herself from responding "She's a selfish, conniving, murderous, vampire, that's why." She couldn't let that cat out of the bag. Besides Damon would come to Katherine's defense and have her committed claiming she was raving about vampires. So she figured she'd be as vague as possible.

"There are some things about Miss Katherine that I don't agree with and that don't sit right with me. Things I can't turn a blind eye to." Bonnie looked at Damon, wondering if he knew about what Katherine truly was, but seeing no signs of recognition, concluded that Katherine had yet to reveal her true nature to him. Though it would only be a matter of time before she did. Elena told Bonnie that Damon had never been compelled when he had his sordid tryst with Katherine, he had accepted what she was without hesitation.

"What things?" Damon asked skeptically.

"Things I'm not at liberty to talk about."

"_Of course_. You are aware I don't believe anything you just said, right?"

"Then why bother asking?" Bonnie looked at him tiredly before finally heading off to her room. Damon stood there for a moment, stumped by her question. Why _did _he bother asking? He'd confronted her looking to gain some answers, but only ended up with twice as many questions as he'd already had to begin with. Something told him she wasn't lying, and whatever _things _she'd been talking about concerning Katherine, they'd obviously been of such a magnitude to garner Miss Be-Everett's hatred. But she spoke as if she knew many things Damon was not privy to. She looked at him, at his brother, and at Miss Katherine with such recognition that Damon thought surely she must know them from a past life. It was a strange thought to have but it was there nonetheless.

_"Who are you, Bonnie Everett?" _Damon whispered to himself as he watched her figure disappear in the dark.


	9. Chapter Eight

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews they definitely fueled my creativity and I was able to type up another chapter. Once again this chapter is a present day chapter and it takes place during 4x17, Because the Night.**

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Eight

"You dragged me all the way to New York because you were feeling nostalgic?"

Damon threw Elena a glance as they walked amongst the crowd on the sidewalk. "No I dragged you to New York because in a matter of three days you managed to piss off everyone in Mystic Falls. Little more difficult to do in the city of millions."

"I was hungry."

"You were reckless." Damon countered.

"Emotionless, there's a difference." She sent a smirk his way.

"Look all that matters is that when I lived here, I fed like crazy and had a blast and went undetected for _years._"

"So…we're just here to have fun?" Elena asked giving Damon a once over. He knew she was suspicious of him, and with good reason. Damon was-by nature-a duplicitous bastard, and he prided himself in it. And she wasn't wrong, Damon did have an ulterior motive for bringing her to New York. He'd decided to give Stefan's approach to the Emotionless Elena dilemma a shot and talk some sense into her in hopes of persuading her to turn her humanity on. Plus he'd be able to get a location on Katherine and the cure. Both tasks were simple enough. In fact, the only thing Damon knew he was going to have trouble with, was finding one elusive Bennett witch.

Damon had contacted a few people and called in some favors and the only information he could get on Lucy Bennett was that she never stayed in one place too long and last anyone heard or saw of her, she was spotted here in New York. Lucy's nomadic existence was extremely inconvenient, and Damon knew that tracking her down was going to require a lot of leg work on his part.

Damon's brief silence was all Elena needed to confirm her suspicions. "What's the catch?"

"There's no catch." Damon responded quickly hoping to calm Elena's doubt. "Look, you wanted out, I got you out. You wanted to feed, I brought you to a city-size buffet. That's the beauty of New York, there's so much life that a little death goes unnoticed."

Elena smiled as he said this. She'd play along for a little while but she decided to keep a close eye on him, just in case. She knew Damon had something up his sleeve and she wasn't going to let him get the drop on her.

Damon seemed satisfied by this and added, "Come on let's go get lunch."

* * *

_"Wait what do you mean you took her to New York?"_

Damon pulled the phone away from his ear as his brother's voice rose loudly. "And that tone is the reason why I didn't pick up the phone the _first _twenty times you called."

Stefan rolled his eyes at Damon, though he had to admit, getting Elena out of dodge was a smart thing to do. She wasn't exactly on anybody's good side here in Mystic Falls.

_"Where is she now?"_

"Out exploring. Maybe she's eating a hot dog…vendor." Damon smirked as he said this. He'd managed to get away from Elena for a bit and decided to finally stop giving Stefan the silent treatment for that stunt he pulled with Caroline.

_"So I take it your search for Katherine is off?"_

"Relax man, this little joy ride is actually a cure hunt." Damon said as he came to a stop in front of a bar called Billy's. "That vampire that Katherine sent after Haley was a friend of mine he lived in this city. Will got vampires fake identities and I'm sure that Katherine was one of his clients."

_"And Elena's okay with this little field trip? Just yesterday she was living the vampire high life, she doesn't want the cure."_

"That's why I didn't tell her." Damon stated matter-of-factly.

_"Damon if she finds out you're still looking for it she'll bolt."_

"I'm aware of that Stefan. What I'm hoping is she's going to be so wasted on booze and blood, she won't even think about it."

Stefan sighed at his brother. _"Don't underestimate her."_

"If I can handle you when you flipped your switch, I can handle her, trust me." Damon shook his head, there was no way Elena could figure out he was still looking for the cure, his plan was foolproof. "Look, just be a good brother and keep Mystic Falls afloat for me and let me do my thing."

_"Damon wait!"_

"What?" Damon was ready to hang up, but decided to humour his little brother a while longer.

_"We need to talk about the Bonnie situation."_

"Okay…what about Bonnie? The fact that you're following her around all over the place like a lost puppy? And here I thought you only had eyes for doppelgangers." Damon asked, unable to pass up an opportunity to irritate Stefan.

_"Bonnie's my friend Damon and, you didn't see it but she was _dying_ when I found her. Had Emily not been there she surely would have died from her stab wound." _

Damon said nothing to this. He had been wondering about that, his past self didn't believe Bonnie had been on the verge of death. But hearing Stefan say it made it real and it made him uneasy to think that Bonnie could have died in the past. But this only strengthened his resolve to find Lucy and have her wave her wand and poof Bonnie back into the present. "Yeah well she's fine now, all up and about and as _judgy _as ever."

_"Yeah I can't believe you don't get along with her even as a human."_

Damon frowned as he heard Stefan's laughter. "That's her fault brother, if she weren't such a judgy, self righteous little thing, I wouldn't be on a one man mission to uncover the skeletons in her closet."

_"Yeah about that, you should really back off, it wouldn't do for everyone to find out she's a witch. The council wouldn't hesitate to burn her alive. Her being there is already dangerous enough as it is."_

Damon looked to the sky as if asking for patience. "Oh _sure. _Just let me pop back real quick and tell my past self to ease up on the witch. Seriously Stefan how dense are you?"

_"Well…" _Stefan paused slightly as an idea came to him. _"Maybe if we found a witch you could do just that."_

_"What?_" Damon looked at his phone, wondering if he'd heard him correctly. "Stefan you gotta ease up on the bunny diet man, I think it's making you crazy."

_"Damon hear me out a second. Maybe we can somehow get a message to Bonnie in the past, I know it seems like a long shot but it might be possible."_

Damon shook his head and with his tone drenched in sarcasm said, "Even if it were possible, what would we tell her? 'Sit tight Bonnie we'll get you out of there. P.S. Try not to step on any butterflies.' It's pointless Stefan."

Stefan nodded, perhaps Damon was right.

"I gotta go. Just look alive, you have a blood bag hoarder to deal with, remember?" Damon said and quickly hung up as he spotted Elena walking toward him.

* * *

Damon walked off quickly leaving Rebekah and Elena to their feeding frenzy in the middle of the dancing crowd. He hadn't bet on Rebekah following him to New York. Though looking back, he should've counted on it, after all she _had_ threatened to be his 'shadow' till she got the cure. And now Elena was privy to his real motives for bringing her here. He continued on with his whole Lexi story but he knew Elena wasn't buying it, so getting her to flip the switch was a bust, especially with Rebekah's sarcastic commentary. But he could still figure out where Katherine was.

"Ugh, pack rat." Damon said as he entered a room full of boxes and stacks of papers where he hoped to find Katherine's location. "Thanks Will."

Damon closed the door and went straight to the first stack to begin his rigid search. After figuring out that Will's filing system went by birthdays, one quick call to Stefan asking for Katherine's birth date, and Damon had himself her most recent address going back two months.

Damon had told his brother he'd head back to Mystic Falls early the next day, which gave him all night to find a way to shake off Elena and Rebekah and go about New York hoping to find a trace on Lucy. The faster he found her and got her to bring Bonnie back the better. There's no telling what Bonnie's being in the past would change, already things were happening differently then how they had the first time around, and there was no possible way of knowing if this was good or bad. But Damon highly doubted Bonnie's being there would change things for the better, they weren't _that _lucky.

Just as Damon turned to leave, Elena opened the door. "What are you doing in here?"

"Took a wrong turn looking for the men's room." Damon smirked.

"Right…" Elena said skeptically. Damon looked at her wondering if she had caught any of his conversation with Stefan, but her face gave nothing away.

"Come on," Damon said as he began walking out the room. "Let's get back before Rebekah finishes everyone off, I'm still thirsty."

* * *

Damon woke up with a serious kink in his neck. He groaned as he got up from the ground.

_Getting your neck snapped is a bitch. _He thought as he dialed Elena's number.

_"Morning Damon."_

"Where are you?"

_"The better question would be where are we going."_

_ "Sorry Damon I think I broke your radio!"_ Damon heard Rebekah's voice through the phone.

"You're in my car?!" Damon asked.

Elena laughed. _"We weren't gonna take the bus. I wish this could have gone differently I _really _do. We'll give Katherine you're best." _

Damon almost threw his phone against the floor of the roof. If anything happened to his car, he'd kill them both.

Damon dialed Stefan's number, he had to let him know he got tag teamed by the 'Terrible Twosome'. He just hoped Stefan didn't have a 'holier than thou' speech prepared for him. But Stefan needed to be on his way to Katherine if they hoped to beat Rebekah and Elena to the cure.

_"Damon what did you do?"_

"Let's just say it involves a five foot seven brunette and her blonde accomplice."

_"Please don't tell me this is going where I think it is."_

Damon sighed before saying, "The lead I had on Katherine Elena stole."

_"Damon…"_

"I know I told you I had this, but I didn't plan on Rebekah showing up. It was two against one Stefan. Look, I need you to get to the address before they do. They took my car so I'm going to have to find me another one."

_"They took your _car_?!"_

"Yeah that was just low." Damon frowned, taking his car was hitting way below the belt, it really was.

Stefan shook his head before saying, _"All right, give me the address and I'll see if I can beat them there."_

Damon gave him the address and hung up the phone as he made his way towards the stairs. He still had a witch to find.

* * *

After threatening a couple of people and breaking a guy's arm, Damon found himself in front of an apartment complex in lower Manhattan. He made his way inside up to the 7th floor where Lucy's apartment was supposed to be. When he got there, he found a half open door and peered inside. The apartment was a mess. There was overthrown furniture and discarded clothes all over the place.

"Looks like someone left in a hurry." Damon muttered. He heard clanging and he turned towards the window at the far back of the small kitchenette area and just managed to see a dark head of hair disappear down the fire escape.

"Gotcha." He said. Using his vampire speed, Damon made his way to the alley and waited for Lucy to finish her descent down the ladder.

"Where are you running off to?" He said as Lucy landed a few feet in front of him.

Startled, Lucy took one look at him and gave Damon an aneurysm.

"Stop…I'm not going to hurt you." Damon groaned as his hands flew to his head and he struggled to keep on his feet.

"Yeah, I don't believe that." Lucy said not giving him an inch.

"Stop…I need your help." Damon said as he fell to the floor in the middle of the alley.

Lucy paused her attack, curious despite herself. "Help? You need my _help_? Just because Bonnie willingly helps you Salvatores, doesn't mean I will."

Damon slowly got up from the floor and dusted himself off as he took a good look at Lucy. She looked skittish. "What's wrong with you? You look like someone's after you."

"Uh-uh. You don't get to ask questions." Lucy said as she stood firm in front of him, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"Really? Well that's a shame 'cause I have nothing but questions for you." Damon smirked. He had to tread carefully. He wasn't sure yet if it would be wise to tell Lucy that Bonnie was in the past. He wanted to find out whether she was strong enough to bring her back before he divulged that information.

"Look, would you relax, I said I wasn't going to hurt you and I meant it. You're making _me_ nervous, which is not a very easy thing to do." Damon added as Lucy took a quick look around the alley as if to make sure they were truly alone.

"A buddy of mine with a broken arm gave me the heads up about a vamp that's looking for me, so excuse me for being a little paranoid." She snapped.

Damon grimaced slightly, it looked like _he _was the vampire Lucy was running from. _Great, I'm gonna get a stake through my chest. _Damon thought.

"Wait, you're the vampire aren't you?" Lucy said.

"Well…" Damon said with a shrug of his shoulders. "He wasn't being cooperative and I _really _needed to find you."

"I should kill you where you stand-"

"No, you really shouldn't do that, because Bonnie sent me to talk to you." Damon was lying through his teeth, but he hoped dropping Bonnie's name would spare him or at least buy him some time.

"Why would she send you? She has my number she could've called."

"Yeah she can't call not from where she's at." Damon gave a slight smirk at this. "Look I need you to tell me what you know about time travel."

"Time travel," Lucy snorted, "There's no such thing, it's just science fiction."

"You know, I'm willing to bet Bonnie would beg to differ." Damon looked at her but when she didn't respond added. "You're telling me you've never read about a spell that claimed to send a person on a journey through time?"

Lucy thought long and hard before answering, "Well, supposedly there's one written in Emily Bennett's grimiore but I've never heard of anyone using it, I mean it probably doesn't even work."

_Leave it to Bonnie to prove everyone wrong, _Damon thought. "Suppose you saw the spell, do you think you could find a way to bring someone back?"

Lucy looked at him as if he'd gone crazy but figured she'd humour him. "If-and this is a _big _if-there is such a spell, the return spell would be written somewhere in it."

Damon pondered over this for a minute. "And do you think you'd be up to performing such a spell?"

"Excuse me? This is all hypothetical, why does it matter?" Lucy was exasperated now, she didn't see why Bonnie wanted him to ask her these questions. "Time travel spells are pure speculation among witches. No one is _meant _to travel through time. That kind of power isn't granted to us. We witches keep the balance in nature. We don't control Fate or Destiny, whatever you want to call it."

Damon couldn't help but be impressed that Bonnie had accomplished a seemingly impossible feat. Still the only explanation for her being able to time jump was the extra boost in her powers she had recently acquired through Expression. Damon grimaced. He didn't like this, he had a feeling this Expression business was going to turn around and bite them in the ass.

"Let's say-for argument's sake-that a witch got enough juice from using Expression, would she be able to do it?"

Lucy looked a bit shocked at this, "What do you know about Expression?"

"Not much," Damon shrugged. "Just that it can give a witch a _serious _power boost."

"Well, not much is impossible for a witch yielding that amount of power so yes, hypothetically speaking, it would be possible to time travel with Expression." Lucy answered. She found this whole conversation bizarre and pointless, this was nothing but speculation, and even if it was possible no one would be crazy enough to try it.

"And you wouldn't, by any chance be well versed in that particular branch of magic, would you?" Damon asked, though he already knew the answer.

"_Me?!_ No! I'm not suicidal, that kind of magic could kill you. It's far too unstable. Expression turns on you, it can take control of a witch."

Damon ground his teeth, this just kept on getting better and better. "You wouldn't happen to know of a witch that _does _use Expression?"

Lucy stared at him as if he'd grown two heads. "No I don't. No one's crazy enough to try it. Are we done here? I'd like to get back to my apartment."

"Yeah, we're done here." Damon nodded.

Suddenly, remembering Stefan's suggestion, he called Lucy back. "Wait! Is there a way to send someone a message to the past? Like a note or something, to communicate with them?"

Lucy turned and laughed out loud at this. "No, like I said, no one is _meant _to travel through time, let alone try to influence it by sending _notes_."

"Well," Damon said to himself as Lucy disappeared around the corner. "It was worth a shot."


	10. Chapter Nine

**A/N: I know I always thank you guys for reviews in my author's notes but really I can't thank you enough. So much positive feedback, it gives me confidence in the direction this story is heading so thank you all very much.**

**Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW. This is a work of fiction and is in no way intended to violate the terms of copyright for The Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Chapter Nine

Between Damon's covert stalking of Miss Everett and his as of yet fruitless attempts to woo Katherine, he hadn't found an opportunity to talk to Stefan about his visiting Miss Everett. Indeed it seemed he had barely spent any time with his brother and now he'd be off to camp in a couple of days. He'd been so preoccupied with other matters, he'd neglected the reason he came to Mystic Falls in the first place.

"Brother!"

"Ah, just the person I was hoping to find." Damon turned as his brother came up to him in the hall and gave him a warm smile. "Come, I want a word with you."

Stefan followed curiously as his brother led him to the library. Damon opened the door and gestured for him to enter. His brows furrowed as Damon checked both sides of the hallway as if to ensure no one was near before closing the door and locking it.

"Damon wha-?"

"I wish to speak to you about a delicate matter and I do not want us to be overheard or interrupted." Damon said as he fidgeted where he stood, unsure as to how to proceed.

After confronting Miss Everett a few nights ago, Damon had been feeling guilty, and he _did not_ like feeling guilty. Indeed Miss Everett's words had shamed him, and he felt contrite for implying she was doing anything unseemly with his brother. He knew better than that. His brother would never do anything improper, he would never dare risk bringing shame to his father. That was Damon's job.

Still he felt his brother should refrain from frequenting Miss Everett, lest someone other than himself become suspicious as to the nature of their relation. Both for Stefan's sake and for Miss Everett's safety.

Damon could not for the life of him fathom why he believed Miss Everett when she proclaimed there was nothing between Stefan and herself, but he did. He'd tried to convince himself otherwise, there was still something nagging him about her and he was determined to discover what it was, but he could not bring himself to distrust her on the matter. And her words about Katherine were beginning to haunt him.

_"There are some things about Miss Katherine that I don't agree with and that don't sit right with me. Things I can't turn a blind eye to."_

What had she been on about? What were those 'things'? These questions plagued his mind late at night when sleep eluded him. Again he got the sneaking suspicion that Miss Everett knew a lot about Miss Katherine others weren't privy to. Damon had first thought that perhaps the 'things' she was referring to was the game Miss Katherine seemed intent on playing with his brother and himself. Damon thought this was selfish of her but he didn't voice his opinion to her, instead deciding to speak directly with his brother on the matter and determine whether or not Stefan had any intentions of pursuing Miss Katherine. He didn't feel like ensuing in a back and forth conflict between his brother, Katherine, and himself. He intended to make his own intentions towards Miss Katherine clear to Stefan.

Stefan noticed Damon's nervous behaviour and instantly became concerned. "Damon, is something the matter?"

Coming to his senses Damon crossed the room and took a seat and motioned for his brother to do so as well. "I…I do not know how to address the subject without possibly angering you."

Stefan frowned at this. There wasn't much his brother could do that would cause him to resent him. He was his brother and he loved him, whatever it was that was troubling Damon, Stefan was sure he could forgive. "I very much doubt you can anger me brother. Just speak your mind."

"Well…I could not help but notice you have taken a liking to Miss Everett and have sought her company on many occasions…" Damon paused here to gauge Stefan's reaction who nodded in a contemplative manner as he mulled over his words.

"Damon, is this going where I think it is? Do you…" Stefan looked at his brother his face creased in slight hurt. "Do you believe there is something happening between Bonnie and myself?"

Damon looked down in shame. Deep down he had known his suspicions were unfounded and now his distrust had hurt Stefan.

Stefan's frown deepened as he said, "I suppose my attentions towards her may have given you the wrong impression but Bonnie is my friend."

"But you do not make it a habit of becoming friends with slave girls Stefan." Damon said quietly as he looked back up to his brother.

Stefan nodded acknowledging this, "This is true. However, I quite literally stumbled over Bonnie and found her severely injured. It…it scared me brother."

Damon noticed the far-off look in Stefan's eyes and asked worriedly, "What scared you Stefan?"

"Death." Stefan said simply giving Damon a solemn look.

The word stood between them, almost palpable in the silence that followed.

Stefan sighed tiredly. "I suppose I feel…responsible for Bonnie. Her life…it felt as if her life was in my hands and I have been worried for her well-being ever since."

Damon nodded, he could see how this would have prompted Stefan to create a connection with the girl but… "And what of your being on a first name basis?"

Stefan smiled at this. "Actually _that _is due to one of Bonnie's many peculiarities. She insists that I address her as such because the 'Miss' makes her feel old."

Damon was perplexed by this.

"I know." Stefan said with a smile and a shrug as he saw his brother's confusion.

They both laughed quietly marveling at the oddity that was Bonnie Everett.

Damon's expression became serious once more before saying, "Still, I believe it best you refrain from visiting her at such late hours Stefan. You do not want others coming to the conclusion that I wrongfully did about the two of you. You have already risked Miss Everett's safety by doing so. Any further association with you could endanger her."

"Yes of course, you are right. But she is my friend I enjoy speaking with her." Stefan smiled. "She is quite interesting. I think you would very much like her Damon. She is most peculiar in her mannerisms. Though she is rather forward at times, much like yourself."

Damon rolled his eyes at this. He knew he often forewent propriety and spoke too freely but Miss Everett was another story entirely, and for Stefan to compare him to _her_? It was preposterous.

Both sat in companionable silence for a while before a thought occurred to Stefan. "Damon, you would not have by any chance, confronted Bonnie about your suspicions, would you? She has been acting rather distant as of late and I cannot understand why."

"Um…" Damon looked away hoping Stefan would not catch the guilt riddled all over his face.

Unfortunately Stefan could read his brother better than the palm of his hand. "Damon! Why would you do that? You must have offended her deeply."

Damon felt his shame grow as Stefan said this. "Stefan I could not help it. I came here to see you and whenever I finally had time to spend with you, you were nowhere to be found. I searched for you and I saw you leaving the slave quarters and shortly after Miss Everett appeared. I…well…I confronted her."

"So you were angry and you misplaced your anger on Bonnie when she does not deserve it." Stefan shook his head at his brother's behaviour. "You must apologize Damon."

"What?! I will do no such thing!" Damon said in outrage.

"Yes you will. Clearly your guilt is getting the best of you, otherwise you never would have spoken to me about the matter." Stefan sighed at his brother's stubbornness as he folded his arms and said nothing. "Damon you have been nothing but rude and impolite to her since the moment you first saw her. I have excused you and defended you endlessly to her. But it stops now. You have to make things right, if only to rid yourself of your shame."

"I feel no shame for what I may or may not have said to her. You said so yourself that your attentions towards her gave off the wrong impression. My reaction was what anyone else's would have been under my position." Damon huffed petulantly.

"Damon stop being petty!" Stefan's voice rose, his patience with his brother waning. "Apologize Damon."

Damon saw his brother was unwilling to drop the subject so he decided to indulge him. "Alright, I will apologize."

Stefan relaxed in his seat, satisfied at having brought his brother to his senses. He loved him, he really did, but there were times when his brother brought his temper forth with his childish behaviour.

"There is something else I wanted to discuss with you brother." Damon said after a moment.

"Oh?" Stefan was apprehensive. He only hoped it was nothing concerning Bonnie. He would be tempted to throw a book at his brother's over-sized head.

"Miss Katherine." Damon said as he studied Stefan's features for any change in his demeanor that might indicate how he felt towards the object of his affection.

"What of her?" Stefan was puzzled by this, though he was glad they were no longer going to discuss Bonnie.

"Well, I do not know if you had noticed but I have decided to pursue her."

"You have?!" Stefan was surprised. He had of course taken note of his brothers affections towards their beautiful house guest but he had not been certain if anything would come of it.

"Yes." Damon smiled slightly at his brother's expression. "However, I have noticed that you seem to hold her favour as well."

"Me? Why ever would you think that?"

Damon frowned before responding. "Miss Katherine seeks your company and you offer it willingly, I only assumed it was because you were also taken with her."

Stefan shook his head. Damon and his assumptions, no wonder he got himself into so much trouble. "Brother, I was merely being polite. She is our guest after all."

Stefan would not deny that Miss Katherine was beautiful, infinitely so. She was charming, coy, and a pleasure to converse with. Any man would be taken with her, and though Stefan would not deny that the thought to pursue her _had _indeed crossed his mind, he felt perhaps his brother's feelings ran deeper than his own. Therefore he took it as a sign and discarded the notion of any romantic feelings and settled for the platonic where Miss Katherine was concerned.

Damon felt an immense weight lift from his chest at his brother's words. "So then there is no problem in my pursuing her?"

Stefan chuckled. "Why are you asking for my permission? Should you not be asking Miss Katherine instead?"

Damon laughed as well. "Yes you are quite right, but I just want to ensure this will not be a problem between us."

"I tell you what brother, since you seem to care so much about my opinion on the matter, I will give you permission to do whatever you wish with Miss Katherine _if _you sincerely apologize to Bonnie and make amends for your appalling behaviour."

Damon rolled his eyes, his brother knew him too well and must have guessed that he had no intentions of apologizing. This time he decided to do as Stefan asked. He did after all feel bad for how he disrespected her now that he knew there truly was nothing between his brother and her. "Alright Stefan I will do as you ask."

Sensing his honesty Stefan smiled and stood from where he sat. "Good, let us be off then, I'm sure father or Miss Katherine must be wondering where we have run off too."

* * *

Katherine couldn't help the smug smile that graced her features as she listened to Damon informing her he wished to pursue her affections. He fell faster than she had expected him to. It was actually quite pitiful, how easily she had ensnared him. The only one who was causing her trouble was Stefan. He had thus far proven immune to her wiles, and Damon's constant presence did not help matters either. Though she was glad to have one brother already wrapped around her finger, it hindered her plans with Stefan.

Katherine knew what she was doing was wrong but couldn't find it in herself to care. Even though Damon was fun, her attentions lay more heavily on Stefan, and she was _bored_, so she decided to play this cat and mouse game with them. Mystic Falls was a small town and though it was riddled with her kind and she had a few friends among them, Katherine found herself wanting some form of entertainment. The Salvatore's provided just that.

She focused her attention on Damon who was flushing, waiting anxiously for her reply. "I am flattered Damon, however you will be leaving very soon. I would not want you to promise me your affections only to have you fall madly in love with some other girl while off fighting Union soldiers."

"No Miss Katherine I would never! I give you my word." Damon was quick to assuage her apprehension. He was determined to have Miss Katherine.

Katherine peered at him shyly from underneath her lashes. "Really?"

Damon smiled, "Yes of course."

Katherine smiled happily in return before she cast her eyes down once more. "That is all very well Damon, but if you are leaving there will be little opportunity for you to romance me, and let there be no mistake there must be much romancing before you can win my heart."

Katherine smirked at her words as she watched Damon flounder a bit for a response. Oh this game was so much fun.

"My departure is of little consequence," Damon brushed her worries off, an idea already formulating in his head. "I assure you I will be back before you can even begin missing me and in the mean time we can keep a regular correspondence."

Katherine smiled again and nodded at Damon's words, deciding she had played hard enough to get for one day.

* * *

Damon smiled widely as he walked at a leisurely pace through the garden. He was immensely pleased that Miss Katherine had agreed to his intentions towards her. Damon had always hoped to find a woman who was beautiful, intelligent, seemingly years ahead of her time, a kindred spirit. And Miss Katherine fit the bill perfectly and then some. He was no stranger to the touch of a woman, it was the love of one that had always eluded him and it gave him hope that Miss Katherine seemed to return his feelings.

He frowned as he spotted Miss Everett walking a distance away with Miss Emily. He still had to speak to her and…apologize. He rolled his eyes as he recalled what Stefan had told him, but he was right. As much of a bastard as he was, he could admit-if only to himself-when he had done wrong, and it had most certainly been wrong to confront Miss Everett. These types of things had to be addressed with the utmost discretion, especially since he had all but accused her of holding an illicit affair with Stefan. He had confronted her with a complete disregard to her honor, and though he did not claim to be a perfect gentleman, it was never his intention to tarnish hers or to offend her.

He looked at them once more and realized they were making their way to the slave quarters. Deciding now was as good a time as any to apologize, he made his way to a trusty shortcut of his hoping to reach the building before they did. He'd speak to her and absolve himself of the wrongs he had committed. Stefan would be pleased and he would be rid of his guilt. He had nothing to lose.

As he approached the building he noted the sun would be setting in a while and many slaves were getting ready to head to the sleeping quarters. He cursed softly. He'd have to find her room and wait for her there, he didn't want to risk anyone catching wind of his presence and questioning it. He peered discreetly inside two rooms. In the second he stopped as he saw a talisman that looked as if made of ivory among black clothing that Damon recognized from the morning he discovered Miss Everett in his room. This must be where she slept. He quickly stepped in as he heard footsteps and closed the door behind him.

Damon took a seat on the lumpy bed, wincing as he found it quite uncomfortable, he reached for the talisman and examined it closely. He frowned as he held it in his hand. This wasn't ivory, it's texture was slightly different, not as smooth. He looked at it closely, the colour too was not as creamy, it was darker, and there were strange symbols around it. What would Miss Everett possibly be doing with something like this?

* * *

Bonnie walked towards her room tiredly as she parted ways with Emily who had entered her own. Today had been by far the most physically taxing. Emily had Bonnie running all over the place cleaning this and helping out with that. All in preparation for a dinner Giuseppe would be holding tomorrow for Damon's departure. Apparently it was the proper thing to do, a goodbye dinner for his eldest son. From what Bonnie understood, only a small number of acquaintances of the Salvatores would be in attendance and it wouldn't be a particularly big affair. Nonetheless the manor had to be inconspicuous for the occasion.

She arrived at her door and entered her room to find none other than Damon sitting on her bed holding Qetsiyah's talisman close to his face as he inspected it.

"What are you doing in here?!" Bonnie demanded furiously as she snatched the talisman from him and clutched it to her, trying to compose herself. She had panicked when she saw him holding it. That talisman was her ticket home and if he had broken it or taken it from her, there would be no way for her to get back and it scared her. She'd have to be more careful from now on.

Damon was startled to say the least. He had been transfixed by the strange engravings in the talisman and had failed to notice when she had appeared. He cleared his throat when he realized that Miss Everett seemed a bit spooked.

"I did not know my presence here would alarm you, Miss Everett." Damon said mutedly. Perhaps waiting in here had not been the…proper thing to do.

"Yeah well you're here now, so what do you want?" Bonnie said as she stood in front of him, unsure what to make of his being here. Last time she spoke with him, he had been accusing her of doing god knows what with Stefan. It had caused her quite a headache.

Damon sat up straight and readied himself to deliver the speech he had prepared for her. "It has come to my attention that I have behaved most horribly towards your person. I said some things that should have remained unsaid and it was wrong of me. I…apologize."

Bonnie pondered over his words before saying, "Apology not accepted."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Apology not accepted." She repeated as she moved to sit down on the rickety chair next to her bed, smiling at the expression on Damon's face.

"But…why?" Damon asked confounded.

"Because Mister Salvatore, you _don't_ apologize and the fact you are doing so now makes me believe you are being forced-probably by Stefan-and so it must be insincere."

Damon glared at the floor. Miss Everett was incredibly perceptive. It was smart of her to deduce such a thing, for Damon was most definitely _not _one to apologize. He was a firm believer of never being sorry for his actions, he did what he did and he had his reasons for it.

He had half a mind to leave but he remembered how Stefan had spoken of her and couldn't help his curiosity. Stefan genuinely liked Miss Everett and he found himself wanting to discover what made her so likable. So he resolved to give her an apology, one that he hoped Miss Everett would deem worthy.

"You are right, I _am_ here because of my brother, but only because he made me see the error of my ways. I took your suggestion to heart and spoke to him, and he clarified everything to me. And as much as it wounds my pride, I realize it was wrong of me to confront you as I did. I should have spoken to Stefan first but instead I went to you. I see now that my accusations must have caused you quite some grief. I risked putting you in a potentially dangerous situation by insinuating what I did and I regret it."

Bonnie stared at him with wide eyes. She had never seen him so honest and _sorry._ His face was so open, she could see the guilt and shame plain as day. It felt weird. The only time she ever got an apology from her Damon was during the 20's decade dance and even then it was half-assed and lame. But this one, well he was truly apologetic.

"Wow." She muttered, not knowing what to say.

Damon looked up at her expectantly, waiting for her verdict.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"My apology, do you accept?"

"Oh," Bonnie thought about prolonging his torture but figured she'd wounded his pride enough for one day. "Alright, I accept."

Damon released a breath he had not known he was holding, and smirked. That was easier than he thought it would be.

"Alright then, so does this mean truce?"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow, "Truce?"

"Yes Miss Everett, a truce."

"Why are you calling me that?" Bonnie said finally noticing he hadn't called her _Be-Everett_ today.

"What? Miss Everett?"

Bonnie nodded.

"I had thought you wished for me to address you as such." Damon said confused by her question.

"Well yeah, but I didn't think you actually would." She said folding her arms in front of her, the talisman still firmly clutched in her hand.

"I am calling a truce I want to begin anew therefore I will call you 'Miss Everett'." Damon stated.

Bonnie thought it through a bit. Having a do over with Damon might actually work to her advantage. For one he wouldn't be constantly spying on her, so she wouldn't have to worry about her every move when around him. Though he was leaving soon and once he did it wouldn't really matter whether they had called a truce or not. Still there was no telling how much longer she'd be here. Shrugging she conceded. "Alright truce."

Damon smiled, "Well now that we have that out of the way, tell me what is that necklace?"

"Necklace? What necklace?"

Damon smirked at her noticing she was stalling, "You know, the one I was looking at which you so rudely snatched from me. The one that looks as though made of ivory only it is not. The one you are currently clutching in your hand."

"It's a family heirloom. It's important to me." It was vague but true after all she was the descendant of Qetsiyah so it belonged to her.

"Why is it so important?" Damon asked, curious and wanting to know a bit more about Miss Everett.

"It's…" Bonnie paused unsure why she was even bothering to answer his questions. "It's a reminder of where I'm from."

"And where is that?"

Bonnie frowned, this sounded like she was being interrogated.

"Why do you want to know?" She countered.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Curiosity."

"Hmm well I'm not really up to playing 20 questions."

"20 questions? What is that?"

Bonnie laughed at his bewilderment. "It's an expression-well it's a game but I'm using it as an expression, it just means you're asking a lot of questions."

Damon nodded though he still didn't quite understand. He looked up and saw Miss Everett yawn. He decided to leave his questions for another time, she was obviously tired.

"I'll leave you to rest Miss Everett." Damon said politely as he opened her door. He turned and said, "Goodnight."

Bonnie nodded with a quiet "Goodnight" of her own.

She smiled to herself as she looked out her small window and saw the sun had almost disappeared form the horizon.

"Oh crap!"

She dropped the talisman on her bed and ran out of the room towards the back of the building where Stefan was probably waiting for her in their usual spot.

Only when she got there, he was nowhere in sight. Bonnie frowned but sat down on the grass thinking she'd wait for him for a while since he was probably running late. But as the last rays of the sun died down, she realized that he wasn't late, he just simply wasn't coming at all. Confused and a little sad, she made her way to her room convincing herself that she'd see him tomorrow.


End file.
